


Born To Make History

by Canadia_On_Ice



Series: Hetalia On Ice Universe [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers, Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Crossover, Hetalia / Yuri On Ice crossover, M/M, Mpreg, Multi, OCs - Freeform, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-28
Updated: 2018-04-30
Packaged: 2018-12-08 00:23:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 57,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11635059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Canadia_On_Ice/pseuds/Canadia_On_Ice
Summary: Hetalia/Yuri On Ice crossover. A spin-off-slash-retelling of Yuri On Ice in which Viktor is the son of Ivan and Alfred (Russia and America) and Yuri is the son of Yao and Kiku (China and Japan).Viktor is born into the Braginski family, named after his great uncle Viktor Nikiforov, changing life as they know it by following in his uncle's footsteps by becoming a world-renowned figure skater at a young age. Meanwhile, Yuri Katsuki grows up and admires him from afar, not yet aware of his parents' connection to the boy he aspires to one day compete with. One day his life is changed forever when their paths cross, and from then on his fate is intertwined with Viktor's.Warnings (will be updated as story progresses): Mpreg, yaoi romance, miscarriage, mentions of cancer, pet deaths.Will update characters and warnings as the story goes on.





	1. Prologue: Viktor: Birth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I've been working on this story for months, and I know this is pretty short for now but the next part is a bit longer so I'll post it soon as well. ^.^ I've been wanting to share this for a while and I'm still working on it but I really hope that someone will like it. I've poured endless hours and my blood, sweat and tears into it. Literally I have cried at some points while writing certain parts. ;-;
> 
> But anyways, this is my first time submitting on here so I hope I can get the hang of it soon. XD I appreciate any possible feedback that you want to leave, I hope you enjoy this as much as I've enjoyed working on it. :3 It's been a great stress-reliever and I've written quite a bit for it, in which Viktor and Yuri are already in adulthood. So there's a lot more then just this for now!
> 
> Anyways, shutting up now. XD Enjoy the prologue!
> 
> P.S.: I know how uncreative the title is. ;-;

* * *

  
  
  
  
It was a delivery room in Russia; just down the hall in the waiting room Arthur and Francis Bonnefoy waited with their granddaughter, Nathasha, as they awaited the birth of their grandchild. Arthur was a worried mess and Francis was keeping calm and collected; as always he was the other man's rock. He spoke gently to Nathasha and played a card matching game with her, the six year-old quite adept at it as she made matches quite quicker then him.  
  
In the delivery room, the doctor spoke in the best English that he could, instructing Alfred when to breathe and when to push, when to stop. It had been seventeen hours since he had gone into labor and he was already exhausted, but every time Ivan squeezed his hand in encouragement he could feel the power and energy he needed to go on. He would squeeze his large hand in return, breathing as he was instructed to do, and smiled every time he kissed him somewhere or wiped the sweat from his face.  
  
"Alright Alfred, we almost through!" the doctor said as he looked up towards the man now. "Just resting for short minute, then we do more big push, out come baby da?"  
  
A pained shudder made its way through Alfred's body but he felt a wave of relief and excitement come over him now. They were so close to seeing their baby; seeing if it was a boy or a girl! If they would have another daughter or if they would have a son. "You're doing so well, Fredka, I'm so proud of you." Ivan praised his beloved husband and peppered kisses across his cheeks and his nose.  
  
"Oh Ivan, we're so close now!" Alfred panted out with a tired smile, squeezing his hand again. "Vanya my glasses, hand them to me, I want to see clearly when they come out." Ivan reached for his glasses on the side table, gently placing the silver frames onto his husband's face and brushed sweaty hair from his face and smiled at him, kissing his lips gently.  
  
"Alfred, we push big soon when say so, da?" the doctor instructed.  
  
Alfred took a few deep, shaky breaths and nodded, squeezing Ivan's hand who squeezed back as well. "D-da," he replied as loudly and clearly as he could manage in his tired state.  
  
"Big push in 3... 2... 1, push!"  
  
Bearing down and pushing hard, Alfred held his breath and grit his teeth. Eyes shut tightly and grip even tighter on Ivan's hand as he let out a pained grunt through his nose. Suddenly his lips parted with a loud shout, his body falling slump against the bed as suddenly, crying filled the room. **_"They're here, Sunflower! They're here!"_** he heard Ivan call excitedly, most likely with a wide grin on his face.  
  
"Here she is, you two!... _Eh?... What's this?_ " The doctor suddenly blinked as he examined the baby. "I thinking there problem with paperwork..."  
  
" _W-what, why?! There's not more then one is there?!_ " Alfred suddenly asked in a panic. Being an identical twin that was a high possibility.

"N-nyet, paperwork from ultra-sounds say was girl..." The doctor was washing off the baby and soon held it up. "But baby is boy." he said with a smile.  
  
Ivan felt his heart pound in his chest and he smiled widely. " _It's a boy... **dorogoy, it's a boy!**_ "  
  
Alfred had to take a few breaths to calm down again and soon he smiled, opening his eyes and looked up at the baby as the doctor wrapped him in a warm baby blue blanket. _"Oh, Vanya... he's so beautiful..."_ he uttered shakily, feeling happy tears forming in his eyes. As soon as he was all ready, the doctor brought the silver-haired baby over to them and settled him down in Alfred's arms. The blonde smiled warmly, the baby's little cheek pressed against his bare chest. The little boy seemed to calm down a bit now that he was in his mother's arms, fussing a little bit as his hand pressed onto his mother's skin. _"Hello... hello my wonderful, sweet baby boy..."_ Alfred whispered, his vision blurred by hot tears.  
  
The baby squirmed against him and fussed, Ivan smiling as he settled down at his husband's side. Gently, he reached his large hand out and gently brushed the silvery hair on their son's head with a few of his fingers. Soon, the baby's eyelids wriggled and they slowly began to open. He blinked a few times before they opened fully, gazing at his parents for the first time with blue optics. " _Bozhe moy_... he has your eyes, dorogoy." he said with a look of wonder in his eyes.  
  
Alfred smiled softly, gently brushing their son's cheek with his finger. "He's perfect, Vanya. Isn't he?"  
  
"Da," Ivan smiled. "Da, he is."  
  
Soon after they were brought to their private room, Alfred settled down more comfortably in bed now as they awaited for the nurses to bring the baby back to them. He had a few exams to go through before they could see him again. Once they brought him in, they put him in Alfred's arms and asked if they had a name in mind yet. They didn't, so they promised to come back later so they could have time to discuss it.  
  
Alfred looked down at the baby with a smile, having already known he had to try nursing the boy, and luckily it was easy to get him started. He gently stroked the baby's slightly long hair as he nursed, smiling at him. "He's so beautiful, Ivan..."  
  
Ivan nodded. "He is..."  
  
From the tone of voice he had, Alfred could tell something was on his mind. He looked up at his husband now, seeing that look of concentration on his face as he stared at the newborn. "What is it, Vanya?" the blonde asked.  
  
Ivan blinked and glanced over at him now. "Oh... I was just thinking, he looks a lot like my late uncle... my mother's brother. I adored him so much when I was growing up..." He smiled warmly, looking at their son again. "His name was Viktor. Viktor Nikiforov."  
  
Alfred's eyes widened a little now in intrigue, looking down at their son. His tiny hand was pressed on his chest as he nursed, his little blue eyes only half-open as he did. Suddenly, Alfred smiled widely. " _Viktor..._ " The baby grunted a little and looked like he blinked, eyes looking up at his mother now. "Viktor Nikiforov. I think he likes it."  
  
Ivan blinked, looking surprised himself. "You would let us name him after my uncle? I know we had other names picked out for him..."  
  
"Vanya... of course I would." Alfred replied with a smile. "He feels like a Viktor. And I know how much you loved him... naming our son after him would be the perfect tribute to him. We can even give him his last name if you want to."  
  
Ivan stared at his husband in surprise, looking down at their son once more. He smiled, reaching over and brushed his fingers over that soft silvery hair again. "Viktor Nikiforov..." As if on cue, the baby pulled away from Alfred's chest and yawned. Alfred smiled, gently laying him against his shoulder and gently pat his back so he could burp.  
  
"Viktor it is." Alfred said with a smile, settling the baby down in his arms again before handing him off to Ivan. Like a proud papa bear he held his son against his chest now, looking down and smiled. "He's perfect, isn't he?"  
  
Ivan nodded, Viktor's hand reaching out and grabbing onto his finger. "I wonder how much he'll be like my uncle..."  
  
"He taught you to ice skate, right? He was on the Russian Olympic team after all." Alfred said. "Maybe he'll be a skater like him."  
  
"If he's anything like my Uncle Viktor..." Ivan lifted the baby up in his arms and smiled, looking up at him. Viktor smiled and reached his arms out to him happily, almost looking like he was smiling now too. "Then he was born to make history."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... And that's it for now. I know this is pretty short, but I'll post the next part in a few days or so. :3
> 
> Right now I'm not sure what to rate it, so for now the rating is T+. It might change in the future though, not sure yet.
> 
> Thank you for reading so far and I'd appreciate any feedback. <3


	2. Viktor: Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At age four, Viktor takes his first trip to Japan with his family, where his parents introduce him to their old friends from college, Yao and Kiku, and their children. Marks the first appearance of Yuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I was going to wait to post the next part but honestly I'm overwhelmed that I've received 8 Kudos and by now over 100 views! o.o I did not expect that much so soon! Thank you all so much! <3
> 
> So this chapter is a flash-forward to when Viktor is four years old (you can see a pattern forming with the chapter names XD Each chapter is a flash-forward to when him, and Yuri, will be different ages) and we're introduced to Yuri's family and, later on, Yuri as well.
> 
> This was the idea that really drove my inspiration to write this, along with something else much, much later on in the story.
> 
> Thank you all for reading so far, I really appreciate it! I hope you enjoy the next chapter! :3

* * *

**_  
  
  
  
"Mamaaaa! Mama, Papa, Natty, hurry uuuuuup!"_** Viktor called excitedly as he ran ahead of his parents and big sister, his bag on his shoulder and his ice skates over his other shoulder as he ran up the path.  
  
"Viktor! Slow down, the inn isn't going anywhere!" Alfred called to him in return.  
  
Viktor giggled, spreading his arms out at his sides and sped up instead. "I wanna get there so I can go to the ice rink before they close Mama!"  
  
"Goodness..." Alfred sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose a bit. "Where does this boy get all of his energy?"  
  
"According to your mother, you." Ivan teased his husband, arm wrapping around Alfred's shoulders as his other hand gently bopped his nose with his index finger. He chuckled and smiled as they watched their son race on ahead of them. "This is his first trip to Japan. He's four years old, it's exciting for him."  
  
Alfred watched the light of the setting sun as it shined across his son's beautiful silver hair, knowing his expressions so well he could tell what the look on Viktor's face was even without seeing it directly. He could see the boy's ears and cheeks turning red from the cold air around them, not that cold ever bothered the boy. He was like a polar bear in that way.  
  
Soon they reached their destination, a hot springs inn run by Alfred's friend from college. Viktor was exitedly jogging in place as he waited for his parents and sister to catch up to him, his breath clouding around him in excitement as he looked up at the large building. "Wooow... Mama how big is it here?" Viktor asked.  
  
Alfred chuckled softly and smiled, looking up and read the sign hanging on the building; above the Japanese characters it said the name in English letters as well, Katsuki Onsen Inn. "Well it's a popular hot springs hotel, they've got quite a few rooms to rent out for customers. Some a bit bigger then others, and the top floor is Kiku's personal residency. That's where he, his husband Yao and their kids all live."  
  
"They just had a baby, right Mama?" Nathasha asked.  
  
"That they did." Alfred replied with a nod. "Well, let's get inside now, so we can warm up and get to our rooms."  
  
"Then we can go to the ice rink right Mama?!" Viktor asked.  
  
"Yes, yes..." Alfred said with a nod as Ivan opened the door for them.  
  
As they stepped inside, carrying their luggage on wheels behind them, two little black-haired girls in yukatas came up to them, one wearing blue and the other one pink. " _Welcome to the Katsuki Inn!_ " they greeted in unison.  
  
"Ah, Mei and Ming! You've gotten so big!" Alfred said with a wide smile, walking over and gently pat them on the head. "Let me see... Ming you're the the one who likes pink right?"  
  
" _Sorry, got it wrong!_ " they said with a giggle.  
  
"Mei likes pink," Ming said.  
  
"And Ming likes blue and purple." Mei finished.  
  
" _But good guess, Auntie Alfred!_ " they said together.  
  
"Ah, there you are!" A man with dark brown hair in a ponytail over his shoulder came towards the door now, dressed in black pants and long-sleeved Chinese red tang suit. "Ivan, Alfred, good to see you again! And thank you for coming to visit us here for the first time. We're very excited to run the inn for Kiku's parents now."  
  
"Thanks for having us Yao," Alfred said as they removed their shoes at the door and were putting on a pair of house slippers as was the custom. "Ivan and I were here for our honeymoon but it's been almost twelve years now. We've been looking forward to soaking in the hot spring again."  
  
Yao watched and smiled as he saw Viktor putting on a pair that was small enough for him but still bigger then his feet since he was still a toddler. "Girls, why don't you get a pair of your slippers for Viktor to borrow for the time being? Seems as if we don't have clean guest slippers in his size right now."  
  
" _Yes Papa._ " they said, giving Yao a polite bow before they walked off into the hallway.  
  
"Come this way, I'll show you to your rooms. It's a bit of a slow period right now so we have free suites if you like." Yao said.  
  
"Oh, we don't mind staying somewhere smaller if we have to. Easier to keep an eye on the kids that way." Alfred replied.  
  
"Why don't we let the kids share a room with the twins?" Yao suggested as they went to the stairs, walking up a few flights. "That could be fun for them. Although I know Nathasha is turning into a young lady, perhaps we can give her a private room so she has privacy like Heracles."  
  
Nathasha blushed a little, but looked up and asked, "Is Heracles here right now?..."  
  
Yao smiled slightly but didn't comment the way a nosy parent did. "He's helping Kiku in the kitchen right now, I'll go get him after you get all settled in. I'm sure he'll enjoy catching up with you again, Nathasha."  
  
"Mr. Yao, Mama said there's an ice rink nearby! Is it still open?" Viktor asked excitedly as they got to the top of the stairs.  
  
Yao chuckled softly and smiled. "You can call me Uncle Yao if you want, shi?" he replied. "As for the rink, I don't think it's open right now. But Kiku and I know the owners, so I'm sure they'd let you go in and practice as much as you'd like."  
  
"Awesome! Spasibo!"  
  
"I heard you're training to be in the Olympics one day, aren't you Viktor?" Yao inquired as they took a turn down the hallway.  
  
"Yeah, and I'm gonna enter every skating competition I can!" Viktor replied enthusiastically, jumping up slightly then had to catch himself when he stumbled, almost tripping on his slippers.  
  
_"Sssssh!"_ the twins were heard in unison as they came down the hallway, each of them holding a finger over their lips. _"Be quiet, or you'll wake the baby."_  they instructed in quiet voices.  
  
Yao smiled and nodded. "Good girls you are. Here, why don't you take Viktor to your room? I'll bring in a futon for him shortly."  
  
" _Yes Papa._ " they replied.  
  
"Is there," Ming began.  
  
"Anything else," Mei continued.  
  
" _That we may do for you?_ " they asked together.  
  
"Ah, shi you can. Why don't you bring Viktor and his parents to the ice rink when they're ready to go? Viktor would like to practice for a while." Yao told them.  
  
" _Of course we can, Father. It would be our pleasure to assist them._ "  
  
Viktor was so excited about going to the rink, that before he knew it they had been there for a few hours. When his parents called to him that it was eight o'clock he was surprised, having not even noticed how hungry he'd gotten after practicing so long and hard. He was reluctant to stop but even he was starting to get just a bit chilly, despite all of the cold weather they experienced in Russia.  
  
Once they returned to the inn, Yao suggested they take a soak in the hot springs which they gladly did. They washed up in the bathroom beforehand, as was customary, before going out and sitting in the hot water. Viktor was rather amazed with the hot spring, happily swimming around and splashing a bit as his parents and sister relaxed in the water. At the same time, they could hear Yao and Kiku with their kids in the other spring which was separated by a large divider for privacy. Soon, the warm water was soothing enough to Viktor that he started to relax a little now and paddled back over to his parents, not hesitating to climb into his mother's lap with a smile and laid his cheek against his chest. Alfred smiled, holding the boy happily in his arms, Viktor having proven to be a bit of a mama's boy at times.  
  
As they prepared to get out of the water and dry off, Alfred heard Kiku say to the twins, **_"Girls, don't drink the bath water!"_**  
  
And they replied with a resounding, ****_"We weren't, Mother!"_ Which made Alfred chuckle in amusement. Once they were inside Alfred helped Viktor dry off and dressed him in a yukata, then finished drying off and dressing himself before they left the bathing area. Yao and Kiku were leaving the bathing area at the same time with their kids and they greeted their friends, making small talk as they made their way to the dining room now where Kiku's parents greeted them and brought out dinner which they finished making while they were in the bath.  
  
"Mother, Father, arigatou." Kiku said with a smile, giving his parents a polite bow. "This is very kind of you."  
  
"It's our pleasure, we're happy to help. We know things have been a little difficult to handle ever since the baby came." Kira, his mother, replied.  
  
"Ah, that's right, how is the little guy?" Alfred asked as Kiku picked up the bottle of sake and poured it into three little sake dishes, one for Yao, Ivan and Alfred, not pouring one for himself as he was breastfeeding their newborn.  
  
"He's doing well," Kiku replied. "Fussy but healthy. He doesn't like sleeping much at night though..."  
  
"Not like babies can tell time either. I remember how much Viktor would keep us up at night," Alfred replied as the boy picked up the chopsticks in front of him, looking at them in wonder and held one in each hand. "It's always fun to do a feeding at midnight when you are barely even awake at all. But it's worth it," He smiled warmly at his son and gently pinched his chubby little cheek affectionately. "Isn't that right sweetheart?"  
  
Viktor squirmed a little and whined, looking up at Alfred with a pout but Alfred just chuckled softly again, letting go of his cheek and gently mussed the boy's hair a bit now. Viktor cracked a little smile now and giggled. A moment later his stomach growled and as he held onto his mother's hand over his head, he looked across the kotatsu at Kiku and asked, "What's for dinner?"  
  
Kiku chuckled softly and smiled. "Well I see one way he takes after you, Alfred-kun."  
  
"Tonight we're serving our specialty from the Katsuki bath house. Katsudon." Kira answered as she and Kenichi started putting down the food in front of everyone. "It's a bowl with a fried pork cutlet, we find it's a very good dish to eat after bathing in the hot spring. It'll warm you up inside."  
  
"Ah, you should love it, Viktor," Ivan told him with a smile. "It's like the pork in a piroshki, you know how much you love those."  
  
Viktor's stomach growled a little more again now from the smell of the food, smiling and leaned up now. He picked up his chopsticks again, attempting to hold them the right way as everyone else picked up theirs to eat as well. He had a hard time picking up a piece of pork until he got it right, smiling and took a bite. His eyes brightened up as he chewed and swallowed now. " _Wooow... it's so yummy!_ " He took a bigger bite this time, humming happily as he ate.  
  
"Goodness, what an appetite you have," Kiku said with a soft chuckle. "Just like your mother."  
  
Alfred chuckled and grinned a bit proudly now. "Well, growing boys need food. Viktor is no different."  
  
"With as much practice and training as he does, he certainly eats quite a bit to keep up with all of the calories he burns. He hardly ever gains unnecessary weight." Ivan said with a smile, quite the proud papa bear of his only son.  
  
Soon, Viktor was licking the remains of his dinner from the bowl, some crumbs stuck to his cheeks. "That feels so warm in my tummy..." he said with a happy little kid smile.  
  
"Would you like some more? There's plenty." Kira told him.  
  
He smiled politely and nodded. "Da, thank you Miss Katsuki!"  
  
That night Viktor wound up eating three helpings of katsudon, along with freshly made taiyaki and homemade ice cream for dessert. It had been a long and exciting day for the boy, so with a belly full of warm food he rubbed at his eyes tiredly and soon was gathered into his mother's arms, held against his chest before they decided to go upstairs to rest for the night. The twins were nice enough to make up the futon for Viktor in their bedroom so the boy could be put to bed. Alfred changed him into his pajamas, patterned with polar bears wearing goggles, scarfs, mittens and ice skates, before tucking the boy into bed with his stuffed doggie for the night. He smiled, kissing the boy on his forehead and brushed his soft silvery hair from his face. "Goodnight, my little man." Alfred said softly to him.  
  
_"Mmh... night-night, Mama..."_ Viktor hummed sleepily, cuddling his stuffed puppy sleepily.

* * *

  
  
As it sometimes happened, when Viktor woke up in the middle of the night he had wet the bed. He was embarrassed and sleepy, but he got up from his futon and wandered to the door, sliding it open and looked down the hallway, trying to remember which door led to his parents' bedroom. He heard someone in a room just down the hall so that's where he went to, holding his shirt down over the pee stain on his pajama bottoms and slid the door open to look inside.  
  
He blinked a little when he saw Kiku with his hair a bit messy, yukata lowered a bit, rocking something wrapped in a blanket against his slightly exposed chest. Soon enough Viktor's sleepy brain picked up on the sound of a fussy baby, crying and wriggling in his mother's arms as Kiku hummed and shushed the boy gently. _"There, there, now... it's alright, little one, Mama's here..."  
  
_ When Kiku turned a bit, Viktor got a clearer look at the baby now and his eyes widened in wonder now. He had cute, chubby cheeks and a mess of black hair sprouting from his head. Viktor smiled at the sight, finding the baby to look so cute.  
  
Kiku didn't pick up on the fact that Viktor was watching him, too focused on soothing his fussy newborn son, rocking him to sleep and singing a soft lullaby to him. It took a while but soon the baby calmed down, falling asleep now and he carefully settled him down into the bassinet. _"There we go, little one... oyasumi nasai..."_ he whispered with a smile, gently brushing his fingers down the baby's cheek. As he picked his head back up, he noticed the door was ajar and looked over, spotting Viktor who suddenly blinked and blushed a bit now that he had been spotted. "Oh, Viktor... what's wrong?" he asked gently, rather then getting mad about Viktor coming into the room without asking. He walked over and knelt down in front of him.  
  
Viktor blushed a little more now, pulling his shirt down over the stain again now. "I had an accident, I was looking for Mama..."  
  
"Oh, is that all... not to worry." Kiku told him with a gentle smile, patting his head gently and stood up, holding out his hand. "I'll get you cleaned up and put your clothes in the wash. I'll get another futon for you too, I'll wash it in the morning."  
  
"You're not mad, Auntie Kiku?..." Viktor asked, putting his other hand in Kiku's.  
  
"Of course not, accidents happen." he told the boy with another small pat on the head and then guided him out of the baby's room, dimming the lights down first before closing the door behind them.  
  
Kiku brought Viktor to the bathroom, getting him cleaned up and got him a fresh pair of pajamas, helping him get dressed again now. He then helped change the futon, taking the stained futon and Viktor's pajamas down to the wash room, Viktor following along to help. Once they were all set Kiku brought the boy back upstairs so he could get back to sleep, and as they passed by the baby's room he heard the baby fussing again. Kiku sighed softly, Viktor blinked and asked, "What's wrong?"  
  
"He's just fussy... he's alright, don't worry." Kiku assured the boy.  
  
"Can I come in and see him?" Viktor asked, wanting to see the baby up close.  
  
Kiku hummed softly in thought. "Well... I don't see why not. But just quick, you should get back to sleep soon, Viktor." He opened the door to the baby's room now, carrying Viktor with him and closed the door behind them. He turned the lights up a bit again so they could see and went back over to the bassinet. Kiku set Viktor down before he bent over to pick up the baby. _"Ssh... sweetie, what's wrong?..."_ he whispered to the baby, rocking him gently against his chest again now.  
  
"Is he okay?" Viktor asked curiously as he stared up at them.  
  
"Hai... babies can be fussy sometimes is all." Kiku assured the boy, but looked down at his son. "Come on little one... I wish I could understand what you want. You have a clean diaper, you just ate... do you just want Mama?"  
  
Viktor couldn't really see the baby clearly like this, even leaning up on his tippy-toes. After a moment of trying he pouted for a second before he asked, "Can I see him?"  
  
Kiku nodded, carefully kneeling down on the floor so he could show the baby to him now. A little boy wrapped in a red blanket patterned with snowflakes, fussing and wriggling around, his hands in tiny fists beside his cheeks. Viktor looked at him in wonder, a moment later reaching his hand out and touched one of the baby's hands. He whined a little, but suddenly wasn't crying as loud, soon his eyes slipping open and looking up. A moment later, the baby's vision cleared and his little hands opened up, reaching one of them up and grabbed onto Viktor's finger with it. Viktor blinked a little in surprise, but he smiled, especially when he saw the baby's eyes for the first time. Soft and brown, a lot like Kiku's... yet they seemed different for some reason. Special, even. Soon, the baby gave a little smile now that he wasn't fussing as much, his other hand reaching up and grasped onto a handful of Viktor's hair now, tugging it a little.  
  
" _Wow... I think he likes me!_ " Viktor said with an excited grin.  
  
Kiku smiled at the sight and nodded. "Hai... I think he does, Vicchan."  
  
The baby tugged his hair a little again, like it were a game to him, smiling some more. Viktor had to pull it away from his grasp now, but let the baby keep a hold onto his finger and started to suck on it like a pacifier now. Viktor smiled at him again, finding him so cute, and the little sleepy noises the baby was making were so cute too. He looked up at Kiku now, asking him, "What's his name?"  
  
Kiku smiled, looking down at the baby whose eyes were only half open now. "Yuri. His name is Yuri."  
  
"Yuri... that's a really cute name." Viktor replied, smiling a little more.  
  
"Hai... it means 'lily'." Kiku said.  
  
"Lily... like the flower kind of lily?" Viktor asked curiously.  
  
Kiku chuckled slightly and nodded. "Yes, like the flower lily." he replied.  
  
Even after Yuri fell asleep, Viktor didn't want to leave the baby. He was so cute... but Kiku saw the little Russian boy was getting sleepy again himself, so he put Yuri into his bassinet once more and picked up Viktor. Kiku carried the boy back to the twins' room, setting him down in the futon laid out for him, placing his stuffed puppy beside him now and then put the covers over him again. "There we go... sleep well, Vicchan. Arigatou for helping me with Yuu-chan."  
  
_"Mmhn..."_ Viktor hummed sleepily, cuddling up to his stuffed puppy again. _"Night-night, Yuu-chan..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... And there we have it! X3 Viktor and Yuri's first meeting as children. I just really adore the thought, it's really precious.
> 
> Thanks ahead of time again for any more people who read! I hope you like it.
> 
> Also, just to clarify, I wasn't aware of this until well into writing this, but Ming and Mei aren't meant to be Hetalia characters, I came up with them myself without knowing that their names are the same as 2P Taiwan and Taiwan. ^^''' I simply liked the way the names compliment each other, as well as their meanings; Ming being Chinese for "shining" and Mei meaning "beautiful". And because of my love for the Hitachiin twins, their speech emulates them at times. X3
> 
> Nathasha is also a character of my own creation, her name being a combination for the names of Ivan's sisters, Katyusha and Natalia. I added the silent "h" that is sometimes present in names like Nathalia because I just really like the way it looks, it's distinctive.
> 
> Anyways... not entirely sure when I'll post the next part yet but it's a lot longer then the first two. Thanks again for reading and giving me so many views in just one day! <3 It means a lot to me.


	3. Yuri and Viktor: Eight and Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuri, now eight, attends a live skating competition out of town with his older siblings, and to his surprise gets to see Viktor Nikiforov perform with his very eyes for the first time. After seeing Viktor secure the gold, Heracles surprises him with VIP passes that will get them backstage, where they meet up with Nathasha and her family. Soon after, Yuri gets a very up-close and personal introduction to his very idol he's admired from afar for years... and then is in for the shock of his life when he finds out they met before.
> 
> Later on, when they all return to the Katsuki Inn, Viktor takes the boy under his wing and starts to coach and train with him. To his surprise, Viktor is in for a much longer visit then he had anticipated, which cause the boys to bond and form a strong friendship. When they are forced to part ways at the end of the summer, will their pinky promise to stay in contact keep their newfound bond from breaking?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am utterly baffled that I've had over 200 views already! Thank you so much, I'm so humbled and thankful for all of the views and everyone who's read so far. ^^ It means so much to me. <3
> 
> And so here's the new chapter! Just a head's up, I'm still a little unfamiliar with... describing skating performances. ^^''' So I'm sorry if Viktor's seems a little too intricate, especially for a twelve year-old. I just went with what I was visualizing in my head and tried to describe it as best as I could.

* * *

  
  
  
  
Yuri was eight years old, and he was given a chance to go see the figure skating competition in his country. His parents weren't able to bring him, however his fourteen year-old sisters and eighteen year-old brother took him by train to the dome where the competition was being held. They were also being very mysterious about a surprise that was waiting for him to see. Yuri was excited enough beforehand and felt a bit clueless as to what else laid before him.  
  
It was cold inside the arena but he didn't care. He eagerly watched the figure skaters landing moves he was only just learning himself. For hours he watched them, entranced, and soon found that it was almost over when Heracles returned with hot cocoa for them, as it was cold in the arena. He was so focused on the competition that he had forgotten they had promised him a surprise.  
  
**_"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages! We're down to our last competitor for the day!"_** the announcer soon spoke. Yuri's eyes brightened up and he smiled, his cheeks rosy from the cold. **_"Our last competitor is a very well-known and skilled young man, known to the figure skating world as St. Petersburg's little Russian sweetheart!"_** Yuri gasped, his eyes going a bit wide now. It couldn't be... _could it? **"With several wins under his belt in the junior figure skating world, this young man is perhaps the most skilled competitor around the world! Ladies and gentlemen, we give you... Viktor Frederick Nikiforov!"**_  
  
Brown eyes widened, a soft gasp sounding out as Yuri's soft breath clouded the air in front of him. The noise entirely drowned out as the well known twelve year-old skated out onto the rink, circling around a bit before awaiting in the center. The cheers were loud and plentiful, and there was a genuine smile on Viktor's face and a soft look in his eyes. Long silver hair trailed down past the backs of his shoulders, as if enveloping him in a cape.  
  
_**"Viktor has won countless junior competitions and by this time next year hopes to compete in the senior division as perhaps the youngest participant in decades! A truly talented young man who now stands before us for the final skating sequence of the day!"**_ There was another loud cheer, during which Viktor took a polite bow and then looked around at the crowd. For a moment, Yuri felt as if their eyes connected and it made his breath catch in his throat, feeling like his heart skipped a beat. **_"For his performance, Viktor will be skating to the music of Johannes Brahms, the Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G Minor! As performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by David Parry. Certainly quite the change-up from his usual performances, what will Viktor have in store for us today?"_** Viktor changed his pose slightly, awaiting for the music to start. **_"Ladies and gentlemen, silence please."_**  
  
The audience grew quieter now, Yuri held his breath as he waited to hear the music start and to see Viktor perform in person for the first time. A surprised gasp came from his lips when suddenly, the music began to play and so Viktor began to move his body. Almost as easily as a dancer would move across a stage did Viktor glide across the ice, as if he had been born ice skating. _"Amazing... **it's so fast-paced!** "_ Yuri said in wonder, not daring to tear his eyes away even as he spoke to his brother and sisters. _"He's so good!"_  
  
**_"Folks were are certainly in for a treat! Rarely does Viktor ever set such a fast pace at the beginning of his performance, and he's going for a spin this early on! Quite the risk but no feat is too small for Viktor Nikiforov!"_** Viktor let go of his leg from the spin as naturally and fluidly as if he were merely breathing, his body springing forward as he turned in the opposite direction. He almost looked like a ballet dancer twirling across the ice, his hair moving and flowing so much like that of the stream of a river. **_"And here he goes for the double axel jump! Almost lost his footing but he made the landing! What a truly remarkable young man!"_**  
  
Yuri swore he caught a glimpse of Viktor's face as he continued on, seeing the intensity in his eyes and the look of concentration molded into his expression. And yet... he looked genuinely happy. As naturally as possible he slowed down and sped up as the music did so as well. Soon when the interlude came along, fast paced, the audience, along with Yuri, gasped as he rapidly began to skate backwards now. When suddenly it changed, sounding now like music Yuri could picture as a boat rowed down a stream, Viktor soon began skating forwards, his arms moving at his sides as if that were exactly he was picturing as well. And just as the strings picked up in pace, Viktor took them all by surprise with a triple toe loop. **_"Amazing! He landed perfectly this time!"_** The music slowed to the rowing music again, Viktor surprising them again now by doing a triple loop, followed by two doubles, then another triple. **_"What a clean landing, folks!"_**  
  
During the next change Viktor's moves almost looked like he were skipping along the ice, doing a lutz jump when the strings picked up, stumbling slightly but managed not to fall once more. _**"Amazing, here comes another triple jump, and another, and another--and amazing, he landed all four perfectly! And another toe loop, and he lands and goes right on for a spin!"**_ Viktor spun on his right foot, then jumped right in as the fast pacing began once the interlude ended. He went for a spin on his left foot now, holding his right leg up behind his back, hair swirling and twirling around him like a sash. When the pace slowed for a moment he did a jump spin, landing on his feet as he then skated backwards; to Yuri's surprise when he glimpsed a look at Viktor's face he saw his eyes were closed and he gasped. He had seen so many of Viktor's performances, but never saw him skating with his eyes closed for more then a few seconds! Viktor continued on with his eyes closed when the music slowed, performing another spin with ease.  
  
Long, silver hair enveloped Viktor's shoulders so elegantly, following him as if it were trained to never get in his way. Yuri watched him, entranced, as he continued to slow down and speed up as the music pertained him to. Before he knew it, he was holding his breath as he awaited Viktor's final move. A flying spin, after which he landed and spun on his right leg, bent over at the side with his left leg sticking straight out. Viktor's spin slowed down as the music ended, a breath later he stilled. Half a moment later, loud cheers erupted from all around the arena, Yuri included who jumped out of his seat, nearly knocking over his hot cocoa in the process. A high pitched, happy scream came from him as he clapped his hands together.  
  
**_"Sugoooooi!! Sugoooooooi!! Viktor-san is so amazing!!"_** he practically squealed with glee, smiling widely as Viktor stood straight up on the ice now, giving a wide smile as he soon spun around and waved at everyone in gratitude. As he stopped in Yuri's direction he seemed to pause for a moment, Yuri blinking a little in surprise, as if he were looking right at him. He probably wasn't, but he felt his cheeks turn redder when Viktor's smile widened and his head tilted slightly as he gave a wink.  
  
_**"Ladies and gentleman, what a performance! With just two minor fumbles it is safe to say that Viktor Frederick Nikiforov has taken first place once again!"**_ the announcer called out.  
  
" _So,_ " His sisters' twin voices sounding out caught Yuri's attention, snapping him out of his little trance. He blinked, looking over at them who sported twin smiles. " _How surprised were you, Yuri-chan?_ "  
  
Yuri's cheeks turned a brighter red but he smiled again. " _I feel like I just witnessed a part of history_... I can't believe I got to see Viktor-san perform with my own two eyes! And so close up!"  
  
"Well," His brother's gentle voice caught his attention, and he looked up at the Greek who smiled gently to him as he reached into his jacket. "That's just the first part of the surprise, Yuri-chan." He pulled out four lanyards, each with a pass on the end that said " **VIP** " on it.  
  
At the sight of the passes, Yuri's eyes widened and he gasped. _"You... **you mean we get to go back stage too?!** "_  
  
Heracles nodded, hanging one around Yuri's neck. "Let's go."  
  


* * *

  
  
Ming and Mei were happily wandering just ahead of Yuri and Heracles. Yuri held his older brother's hand tightly and stayed close, not wanting to get lost or separated from him. He looked around in wonder, in awe of where he was. He couldn't believe he was even here! Yuko wouldn't believe him if he told her he got to see Viktor perform in person! "Ah, this should be the way..." Heracles said after he saw a sign, taking a turn down a hall with the twins.

  
"Huh? Where are we going, Hera-kun?" Yuri asked, looking up at him curiously through his glasses.  
  
"A friend of mine gave me these passes. Her little brother was performing today." Heracles replied.  
  
"Really? Why didn't you tell me? Who was he?" Yuri asked.  
  
The twins both grinned mischievously to each other and giggled softly. " _You'll see soon~_ "  
  
Yuri was usually worried when his sisters said something like that, but right now he was too happy just to be here. Viktor was amazing but he recognized some other talented skaters as well and it suddenly made him feel sheepish, he was such an amateur compared to all of them. Ming and Mei were both happy to smile and greet everyone they recognized, while Yuri was slowly creeping behind Heracles shyly and clung to the bottom of his jacket now. "Aw, Yuri-chan, don't be nervous." Heracles gently pat him on the head now, knowing how shy the boy could be. "This'll be fun."  
  
Soon, a girl with light silver hair caught sight of them and she smiled, holding up her hand and waved towards them. **_"Hera-kun! Hera-kun, over here!"_**  
  
_**"Natty-chan!"**_ the twins, along with Heracles, all said in unison. Heracles glared at them slightly, the twins giggling playfully and smirked up at him now.  
  
"Hera-kun, I'm so glad you guys could make it!" the girl said as she approached them closer now, smiling and reached her hand towards Heracles' free hand and held it in hers. "It's been so long, I'm so happy to see you again! Come on, come this way!"  
  
The girl was soon guiding the way down the hall, to a more restricted area, each of them showing their passes to get through before they arrived at a dressing room. She knocked on the door first, calling, "Mama, Papa! They're here! Where is he?"  
  
**_"Come on in, darling! He's changing in the back!"_** a Russian voice replied.  
  
She opened the door for them, letting them all step inside before she stepped in and closed the door behind them now.  
  
"Oh my _goodness_ , **_look at you guys!_** " Alfred gasped as he stood up and approached the group of siblings. "It's been eight years, you're all _so big! I can't believe this!_ " Yuri squeaked shyly and hid further behind Heracles now, his face bright red now. Alfred looked down at him and chuckled softly. "Aw... that must be little Yuri, isn't it? My goodness you've grown up so fast..."  
  
Yuri shrunk behind Heracles a bit more now, looking up at his brother again. _"Hera-kun, who is he?..."_  
  
"Aw, aren't you cute..." Alfred chuckled softly and knelt down to his level to see if that would make Yuri less nervous. "My name is Alfred F. Jones Kirkland-Bonnefoy Braginski. Your parents went to school with my husband Ivan and I."  
  
_"Really?..."_ Yuri asked curiously, poking his head out a little now from behind Heracles.  
  
"Da, we did." Ivan said with a nod as he stayed put where he was. With how big he was built he tended to scare children sometimes, until they learned how kind and gentle he was.  
  
"They came to visit us when you were still a baby, Yuri-chan. So it's natural you wouldn't remember them." Ming and Mei told him.  
  
_"A-ah, I see..."_ Yuri said quietly, stepping out from behind Heracles now.  
  
"Aw... you're shy like your mother, aren't you Yuri?" Alfred said with a gentle chuckle, reaching out and pat the boy on his head softly. "That's so cute."  
  
Heracles smiled at that, seeing Yuri was a little more at ease now that he knew who these people were. He stepped a little closer to Nathasha now with a smile, wrapping his arms around her waist. "It's great to see you again, Natty-chan." he told her softly.  
  
Nathasha smiled softly, blushing a little. "It's good to see you again too, Hera-kun." she said, kissing his cheek gently now.  
  
**_"Mama! Is everyone here?"_** a voice called from behind a door on the right side of the room.  
  
Alfred stood back up now. " _Yes, darling! Come on out when you're all set!_ " Alfred called in return.  
  
Yuri looked up at Alfred curiously now. _"A-ah, Hera-kun said... he was in the competition?"_ he asked softly. "He just told me... I'm sorry he didn't win though."  
  
Alfred was on to what the others were doing to Yuri, though he cracked a small grin and placed a hand on his hip. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'm sure he'll be happy to see everyone again."  
  
All of a sudden, the door opened and the boy on the other side gasped. Blue eyes widened and he suddenly gave a big smile; when Yuri looked up at him, he stiffened, brown eyes going wide and he gasped, looking quite like a deer in headlights. **_"Yuu-chan!! Yuu-chan it's you!!"_** Viktor exclaimed, running over to the boy and nearly tackled him in a tight hug. He lifted Yuri up in his arms, spinning around the room excitedly. **_"Bozhe moy, look at you you're so cute!! You look even cuter then the last time I saw you!!"_**  
  
_"V-V-V-V-V-V-V-V-Vvvvvv--"_ Yuri kept tripping over his tongue, blushing brightly and petrified with shock. **_"V-Viktor-san?! W-what are you doing here?! How do you know who I am?!"_**  
  
Viktor chuckled softly and pulled away, holding onto the shorter boy by his shoulders. "Because we met before, silly! When you were an itty-bitty baby!" he said with a grin. "When I saw you in the audience before I knew it had to be you! I don't know anyone else as cute as you are, Yuu-chan!"  
  
_**"Surprise!"**_ the twins said in happy unison.  
  
"I bet you weren't," Ming began.  
  
"Expecting to meet," Mei continued.  
  
" _Your idol today, were you Otouto-san?_ " they asked in unison.  
  
_"Hm?"_ Yuri suddenly tensed up after Viktor looked a little intrigued after the twins said that. "Idol who?"  
  
" _Yuri-chan has been a big fan of yours for years, Viktor-san. He's got pictures of you all over his room and he loves to learn how to copy your performances._ " the twins said.  
  
"Are you really, Yuu-chan?" Viktor asked with a bright look in his eyes as he looked down at Yuri with a genuine smile. " _That's so **cute!**_ I guess that makes you my number one fan!" he said with a smile, gently bopping him on the nose with his index finger.  
  
Just then the door opened again, Arthur and Francis coming inside now with Arthur holding a beautiful bouquet of roses in a shade of peach pink. "Oh there's my talented little grandson! We just knew you could do it!"  
  
" _Nana, Pop-Pop!_ Thank you for coming!" Viktor said happily, momentarily leaving Yuri's side and was soon enveloped in a tight hug from Arthur. "Did you like the music I selected? When you took me to go see the London Philharmonic Orchestra last summer, I could just feel the performance in my body. I practiced every day for six months to get it right! It was really tough to figure out at times, but it was so much fun!"  
  
"You did wonderfully, my little Russian Twinkle Toes." Arthur told him with a smile, pressing his forehead against his grandson's in an affectionate manner. "Every time I see you perform it makes my heart race. You move so beautifully, like the music is coming from your body."  
  
"Thank you Nana." Viktor said with another wide smile. "It's hard work and lots of practice but it's worth it! It's so much fun to figure out a routine and practice over and over again until I get it right!"  
  
"And I'm sure the rewards after working so hard are a plus," Alfred teased with a soft chuckle.  
  
Viktor's cheeks turned slightly pink and they puffed out slightly. _"Maybe."_ he muttered.  
  
Soon there was a knock at the door, a voice calling from the other side. **_"Viktor-san,"_**  
  
**_"Come in!"_** Viktor replied as Arthur let him go, the Brit fixing the boy's hair a bit as someone holding a clipboard opened the door.  
  
"We're ready to conduct the post-game interview, you can come on out when you're ready." they told him.  
  
"Can do!" Viktor said with a nod and a smile before they left.  
  
Yuri looked up at him a bit curiously now. _"Y-you gotta go on camera right now, right?... And you're not scared?"_  
  
Viktor just smiled and giggled slightly. "What can I say? The camera loves me~" He then reached out to Yuri again, tousling his hair a bit. "This shouldn't take very long, then once I'm all done we can go celebrate!"

* * *

  
  
"Aw, you certainly were surprised, weren't you Yuri-chan?" Kiku said with a soft chuckle and a smile as he knelt down at the kotatsu, putting down the tea tray.  
  
"I'm sorry we didn't tell you Yuri, we wanted to surprise you but I didn't know what would happen exactly. Viktor was more excited to see you then I thought." Heracles said, patting the quiet boy on the head a bit.  
  
"Boy, you sure haven't changed much, have you Viktor?" Yao said with a chuckle as he leaned against one of his hands as he watched the boy eating his ice cream sundae rather quickly compared to the other kids. "Just like your mother, you can put food away quicker then you get it!"  
  
"Well, growing boys need to eat." Alfred said with a chuckle. "With how much he practices every day, he burns a lot of calories so he's on a high-calorie diet to keep his weight up.  
  
Viktor took a little break and stretched a bit now. "Mmh... Mama's always rewarding me with good things to eat! They're a great treat after training and competing!"  
  
" _He also ate on the train ride here._ " Ming and Mei said in unison.  
  
"I practice and exercise so much I hardly ever gain a pound," Viktor said, soon grasping the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up. "Look, I'm not tubby like I was when I was little! I got muscles like Mama!"  
  
"Viktor, it isn't very dignified to pull up your clothing at the table." Arthur scolded the boy gently as he took a sip from his tea.  
  
"Naw Ma it's true, see?" Alfred said, pulling up his shirt too and revealed his lean muscles on his own stomach.  
  
**_"Alfred Frederick Jones Kirkland-Bonnefoy Braginski!!"_** Arthur scolded firmly now, his bushy brows knit together angrily.  
  
Yuri picked his head up slightly now and blinked. _"That's where Frederick comes from?..."_ he muttered to himself.  
  
"Da it is, Yuu-chan!" Viktor's voice shocked Yuri and caused him to jump a bit in surprise, Viktor just chuckling softly and ruffled his hair a little. "Frederick is my mama's middle name and I love the way it sounds when I use my full name in competitions."  
  
_"A-ah, I see..."_ Yuri mumbled with a slight nod, pushing his glasses back up his nose, his cheeks a bit red now as he looked up at Viktor now. "B-but why is your last name... different?" he asked.  
  
Viktor soon grinned a bit proudly. "That's because I'm named after my great uncle, that means he's my grandmother's brother! Viktor Nikiforov, a renowned figure skater for the Russian Olympic team! I even have the same birthday as him!" He held his fists up in triumph in front of him. "When I was born Papa said I looked just like him, so him and Mama named me after him! I'm gonna be the best figure skater I can ever be for him and when I'm older I'll compete in the winter Olympics and bring home the gold for Mother Russia!"  
  
Yuri's eyes widened with wonder as Viktor spoke so proudly and passionately, a wide grin appearing on his face. "I wanna be in the winter Olympics for Japan when I'm older too!" he said, standing up now with his hands in fists in front of him now. Standing up he was much shorter then Viktor, so Viktor could see him eye-to-eye much more clearly now. "V-Viktor-san, I've loved watching you skate ever since I was really little, I wanna be as good as you some day! I wanna compete and I wanna join tournaments, I wanna go the Olympics and compete for Japan one day!"  
  
Yao and Kiku were both very surprised at just how enthusiastically their son was speaking, and even his volume was louder then usual as the boy was quite soft-spoken. His sisters and brother looked on as the boy spoke, never having quite seen this side of him before.  
  
"S-so, I wanna be like you and I wanna compete with you some day! It's the biggest dream I could ever wish to have!" Yuri said.  
  
Viktor looked at the young both who was oozing enthusiasm at the moment with wonder in his blue eyes, a small smile on his face. However a moment later, instead of speaking he gently poked his index finger to Yuri's stomach, which was quite soft. Which resulted in the boy giving a small, surprised squeak and Viktor let out a small chuckle. "You've got a ways to go." Yuri blinked, looking visibly deflated for a moment. "But! Lucky for you, I can help you and we can train together, Yuu-chan!" Viktor told him with a determined smile now. "It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and if you don't have enough love for the sport, and enough belief in yourself, then it won't work out. So if you want to make it so you can surpass me one day..." Yuri's cheeks were light red again now, eyes shining as he saw the look on Viktor's face. "I won't hold back at all!" Viktor said with a grin.  
  
Yuri let out the breath he'd been holding in, his gaze suddenly filled with as much determination as Viktor's had and he gave a firm nod. "I'll try my absolute hardest, Viktor-san! To be your rival and to work as hard as I can!"  
  
"Then we'll go train together as soon as we can!" Viktor told him, reaching out and pat the younger boy on the head again. "As soon as you're ready we'll go!"  
  
_"Eh?"_ Yuri blinked in surprise. "N-now? You're not tired?..."  
  
Viktor shook his head. "I never take it easy after a competition, I keep training and practicing as much as I can, even when I'm sick!" he said. "We can go to the ice rink and start working together before dinner tonight!"  
  
"Don't push yourself too hard darling, and don't push Yuri too much either." Alfred told his son, reaching out and pet his son's hair a bit. "You've got quite a lot more stamina."  
  
"I can take it! I wanna do my best!" Yuri replied, determination filling his eyes behind his glasses.  
  
"Well," Yao began with a slight smile as he leaned his chin on his hand. "You're in luck darling, you'll have a lot of time to train with Viktor over the next few months. Him and his sister are staying here over the summer for their studies."  
  
Yuri blinked and gasped now. **_"E-eh?! V-Viktor-san is staying all summer?!"_**  
  
"Da, I am Yuu-chan!" Viktor told him with a grin now. "We'll have plenty of time to train together! Isn't that great?"  
  
Yuri looked a little pale in the face from surprise, but he soon nodded. "H-hai! I'll do my best for you, Viktor-san!"  
  


* * *

  
  
Yuri felt like he was in a dream. Before he knew it, he and Viktor were at Ice Castle Hasetsu to train together. Of course, though, they were accompanied by Arthur and Francis so they weren't out and about alone. In the locker room, the two of them were stretching and warming up before they put on their skates and went out to the rink. Luckily the rink was closed for the rest of the day, but because Yuri's parents knew the owners they let him practice there as much as he wanted and didn't charge him.  
  
"So Yuu-chan, how long have you been skating?" Viktor asked right off the bat as out onto the ice they ventured.  
  
Yuri blushed a little, seeing how naturally and fluidly Viktor moved on the ice compared to himself. "A-ah, well... not until I was almost six, really... I wasn't very good until then. When I was five I always fell over and stumbled a-- ** _whoa!_** " Just when he almost fell over forwards, Viktor reached out and caught him in his arm. _"... stumbled a lot..."_ he muttered, visibly deflating a bit.  
  
"Yuu-chan, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself!" Viktor told him with a slight pout, helping the boy back onto his feet now. "Everyone is different! I didn't start competing till I was your age but I still made a lot of mistakes back then. And just because I learned how to skate earlier then you did doesn't mean I didn't struggle. It's how I lost a few of my baby teeth." he said with a soft chuckle at the little joke he said. He smiled a little when he managed to make Yuri laugh at it a bit too. "Besides, figure skating isn't just about skating. You need to stay in shape and you need to practice off the ice as much as on the ice!" His index finger poked Yuri gently in his belly again now, making the boy squeak and blush in surprise. "As young as you are right now, it is important to start eating healthy every day and maintaining a healthy body figure!" Though he giggled softly, squishing Yuri's belly in his hand a little. "You've got a cute little pudgy belly Yuu-chan... but too much pudge isn't healthy!"  
  
Yuri's blush deepened a little now, fidgeting in his skates a bit. "I-I know... Mama makes me lots of katsudon because it's my favorite food ever... it always makes me gain weight when I eat too much."  
  
"No more katsudon then, Yuu-chan." Yuri's face paled and he looked up at him in shock. "At least while I'm here!" Viktor said, taking his hand away from Yuri's stomach now and held up his index finger. "You're younger then me so you're going through a different growing stage then me! So it's time to teach yourself self-discipline! Only by rewarding yourself with katsudon when you've earned it. By training hard and losing a little weight you'll be able to reward yourself! And if you slip up I'll have to punish you." Yuri looked a bit deflated again, until Viktor put his hand on his shoulder. "For the next few months, think of me as your friend, instructor and your coach!" Viktor told him with a determined expression on his face. "It'll be hard work and I know I might push your harder then you can handle, but I know you can do it, Yuu-chan! For your love of figure-skating... and your love for Japan!"  
  
Viktor's words of motivation and encouragement certainly seemed to work, and Yuri soon looked up at him with a wide grin and a nod. "Hai, Viktor-san! I promise I won't fail you!"  
  
"One thing though," Viktor began, holding up his pointer finger once more. " _'Viktor-san'_ sounds too impersonal. If I'm going to be your instructor all summer I want you to just call me Viktor. Or you can call me what your mama calls me and call me Vicchan! That sounds cute because I call you Yuu-chan!"  
  
Yuri's face turned bright red and he stumbled backwards now, landing on his bottom but it was hardly the first time it happened to him. He winced just slightly but looked up at Viktor a bit sheepishly now. _"B-b-b-b-b-b-b-but, **Vicchan sounds way too personal, w-w-we hardly know each other yet!** "_  
  
Viktor was silent for a moment, his hand on his hip before a moment later he broke a smile and snorted softly before he chuckled a bit. "That's just too cute of you, Yuu-chan!" he said, going a bit closer to him now and reached his hand out. "Don't you worry about that right now. We might not know much about each other now, but, over the summer I just know we'll come to be great friends! I promise." he told the younger boy with a genuine smile now.  
  
Yuri's big brown eyes stared up at the elder in wonder, before he lifted his hand up now and placed it in Viktor's, the Russian boy helping him back up. _"A-alright... V-Viktor-sa--... Vicchan..."_ he uttered quietly, glancing down a bit embarrassed.  
  
Viktor pursed his lips together in a big smile now, suddenly pulling Yuri into a tight bear hug once more, starting to twirl around on the ice with him in his arms now. **_"Aaaaaaaaw, Yuu-chan you are just so adorable! I can't stand it!"_**  
  
From the sidelines, Francis chuckled at their grandson's behaviour, leaning his head on his hands as him and Arthur watched the two young boys interacting with each other. "He has his mother's energy, doesn't he darling?" the Frenchman said as he looked over at his husband. Arthur was watching them with a fond smile as well. "And the way the two of them are together... it makes you wonder, doesn't it?"  
  
Arthur smiled fondly as he saw Yuri spluttering incoherently and his face was as bright red as a tomato now, seeing Viktor hugging him fondly now, his long silver hair enveloping both of their shoulders as he did. "They do have wonderful chemistry together... but I suppose only time will tell, won't it?"  
  
"Alright now, first thing's first! Let's get started!" Viktor declared when their hug broke. "Aside from skating what sort of training do you do, Yuu-chan?"  
  
"W-well, I ride my bike a lot... and I roller-skate sometimes too to help with my balance." Yuri replied. _"A-also... ballet..."_ he muttered quietly, embarrassed because it wasn't something a lot of boys did.  
  
"Ah, ballet! That's a great exercise!" Viktor said, catching his attention again and he looked back up at him. "Not only for flexibility but it's a good way to practice certain jumps and spins when you're not on the ice! In fact my three cousins in Russia are all ballet dancers and they're all boys." Yuri seemed a little less embarrassed now and he looked back up with a little smile. "Right now I wanna see what you're capable of! But don't worry too much about jumps and flips right now. We'll get to those later!" he said.  
  
Yuri held onto the bottom of his jacket but he nodded. "H-Hai, Viktor!"  
  
"Alright! Now, do you have an mp3 player with you?"  
  
Yuri blinked. "Eh? What for?"  
  
"So I can get a feel for what music you like. For now we can get you to practice to a song you're familiar with." Viktor replied, skating towards his grandparents now. "I assume there's one in your bag?"  
  
_**"W-w-w-w-wait Viktor don't they're really--"**_  
  
By the time Yuri was starting to make his way towards Viktor, the elder already had his music player in hand and was flipping through a few songs with one of the headphones in his ears.  
  
_"... embarrassing..."_ he trailed off, his face bright red as he slumped over nearby Viktor now.  
  
"Ah, cool! Anime songs!" Viktor said cheerily a moment later. "You really like anime don't you Yuu-chan? Ah, I know this one--Fruits Basket! And this one is Haruhi, and Lucky Star... hm... which one is your favorite?" he asked, looking over at Yuri now.  
  
"A-ah, well..." Yuri grabbed on the side railing of the rink, pulling himself back onto his feet now. "The one called... _Punch Mind Happiness_. F-from Anne Happy..."  
  
Viktor changed the song, listening to it with a hum for a few moments. "Interesting... it's pretty fast-paced, but it'd make a good piece to perform to. Have you tried to come up with a routine for it?"  
  
Yuri blinked and blushed again. "W-well I'm not all that great at coming up with routines... s-so I haven't before..."  
  
Viktor popped the other ear bud into Yuri's ear and started the song over from the beginning. "Close your eyes and tell me what you feel the song telling you. What is it about and how do you feel when you listen to it?"  
  
Yuri nodded, closing his eyes a moment later. He had listened to this song hundreds of times, trying to envision himself performing to it no matter how much he always messed it up. "Well... it reminds me a lot of the premise of the show. It's about a group of unlucky girls who go to a school where they're in a class full of unlucky people. And one of them is always really happy despite being unlucky... and the song makes me think of her. How despite having so many bad things happen to her, she stays happy and positive and is determined to be happy no matter how many times she messes up."  
  
As Viktor listened to Yuri explain how he saw the song, he could feel how Yuri felt. That he often made mistakes and tried his hardest to overcome them no matter what happened. This song gave Yuri confidence when he didn't have any... he could tell from the counter on the screen that showed how many times it had been played. All of a sudden, Viktor got an idea and took away the ear buds now. "Nana, can you plug this in to the PA?" he asked, handing the mp3 player to Arthur who took it and nodded. "Have you skated to this before, Yuu-chan?" he asked, looking at Yuri again now.  
  
Yuri looked down and nodded. _"Hai... but I always mess up..."_  
  
"You really love this song, don't you?"  
  
Yuri blinked a little now and looked up at him again. "W-what do you mean?"  
  
"The way you talked about it just now, how you described it. How it makes you feel, that's the feeling you need to embrace when you skate to a song. Any song." Viktor replied, taking a sash from his waist and reached over to take off Yuri's glasses. "This might be a little challenging right now, but we're going to do an exercise I like to do when I'm coming up with a routine."  
  
**_"B-but Viktor, I can't see without my glasses--"_**  
  
"You won't be needing them for this," Viktor replied, setting them down on the railing and went behind Yuri now, tying the sash around his head so it covered his eyes. "Don't worry, I'll be right here if you need a hand." he said, taking Yuri by the hands and skated out towards the middle of the rink now. "Let your mind go blank. As soon as the music inclines you, move to it the way your body tells you to. If you stay in your head too much, it won't work. Skating isn't about thinking every second of every move through... it has to be natural." Yuri seemed a little nervous, his hands having held onto Viktor's a little tightly for a moment before the elder let them go. "If you can't think of a move to do at a certain time don't force yourself to. And don't worry too much about jumps and flips like this either, take it easy on yourself. And remember... no matter how many mistakes you make, you can just get right back on up. Because no matter mistakes you make, it doesn't matter so long as you learn from them and keep moving forward."  
  
Yuri felt a bit of a nervous knot in his stomach, but he swallowed and nodded. Taking a few deep breaths, he waited now for the music to start. Beneath the blindfold he closed his eyes, hoping to clear his mind a bit. Almost suddenly, the music began and he found himself flying to the left with his arms spread out, a little unsteady on his feet but he tried not to move too quickly and lose his balance just yet as he got used to moving around blindfolded. He soon changed direction, skating to the right, steadying his arms a bit, then skated in a small circle before the vocals came in. Without meaning to he already lost balance and fell over onto his front side, but got up as quickly as he could before he stood up and started to do a toe-spin, almost losing his balance again and held his arms out, Viktor catching him again before he fell over. He tried to think of what to do next as Viktor helped him back up, only to go right into skating in another simple circle for now. When the song picked up though, he suddenly had the urge to jump in the air like the girls did in the opening animation with the song, so he jumped once with just two spins before landing a bit shakily on both feet, almost falling over but he went into another jump again, this time falling over without meaning to, pushing himself back up with his hands and returned to his feet on his own this time. He soon did another spin, then he spun in the other direction afterwards. The rest of the song he didn't know what specific moves to do, so he moved on the ice just as fluidly as he could manage. And when he attempted to do another jump he fell, and as he got back up onto his feet the song ended.  
  
Yuri was breathing a little heavy and his face was red, pushing the sash up from his eyes now. _"I sucked, didn't I?..."_ he mumbled, not even looking up at Viktor, wondering how bad he looked.  
  
"That's not the right word." Viktor replied a bit bluntly. "What it seems like is you lack confidence in yourself."  
  
_"Because I'm not good yet..."_ Yuri responded dejectedly.  
  
"You're not _'good'_ , and you're not _'bad'_. Those terms are way too broad of a spectrum. You just haven't found _you_ yet, Yuu-chan." Viktor told him. "You need more practice and more discipline, that's all it takes. And once you know what you're capable of and you see yourself improving, you'll keep getting better. And the more it happens, the more you'll find it suits you. So," Viktor held his hand out palm-up for Yuri once again. "I promise not to give up on you if you promise not to give up on yourself either. Alright, Yuu-chan?"  
  
Yuri slowly picked his head up again, teeth worrying at his bottom lip, focusing his fuzzy gaze on Viktor again. Even without his glasses on, he could see the elder's bright, confident smile on his face and he could feel a little confidence growing in his chest. He blinked his eyes a few times but he smiled and nodded, reaching his hand out and held onto Viktor's again. "Alright, Vicchan." he replied.  
  
"For now, I think we need to try another training technique." Viktor said, holding Yuri's hand as they skated back towards his grandparents. "Nana, can you hook up my iPod now? And let's put on... ah, the instrumental of the Toreador song from Carmen, da?"  
  
Arthur smiled and nodded. "Sure thing, darling."  
  
"Why do we need to put on something different?" Yuri asked, looking up at Viktor again now after he put his glasses back on.  
  
"It's classical music. Studies have shown that listening to classical music stimulates the brain and boosts creativity and thinking." Viktor replied. "One of the reasons why my music player is full of classical music, it's what I listen to when I practice and try coming up with new routines. I think for now it'll be a good way to help you out since you need to learn to move with the music, without thinking too much about your actions before you move." He then noticed Yuri's face had grown a bit red already and saw his glasses fogging up a bit. "Hm... and maybe," He reached out, taking the boy's glasses gently off once more. "It'll be easier if you leave these off."  
  
"B-but I can't see well without them!" Yuri replied.  
  
"How often do they fall off? Have you broken them from skating before?" Viktor asked. Yuri blinked, suddenly wondering how Viktor had been able to guess that. "If anything I think they might be getting in your way. When I need to show you something you can put them back on, but for now let's see how you are without them, da? Without wearing them you won't have to worry about them falling off and breaking."  
  
"Well... if you say so Viktor, I'll keep them off for a while." Yuri replied with a small nod.  
  
"Alright then." Viktor said with a smile. A moment later, he took Yuri's hand again and skated out a little more again, holding his hand in case he needed to be steadied. "For now, once the music starts back up again just do what comes naturally and try not to make too many fast movements yet. We'll work on those later."  
  
Yuri gave a nod, as confident as he could muster, and smiled slightly. "Hai, Vicchan."  
  


* * *

  
  
As evening fell they returned to the inn, where Arthur and Francis took them to the bath so they could relax for a while before dinner.  
  
They undressed, towels around their waists, Arthur and Francis going into one stall to wash up, Viktor and Yuri going into another to do the same.  
  
"Yuu-chan, do you want me to help you wash your hair?" Viktor asked as they shut off the water spray in their stall so they could scrub their skin.  
  
_"A-ah, you don't have to..."_ Yuri replied.  
  
"Nonsense, I want to help!" Viktor said with a small grin.  
  
Yuri blushed a little but he nodded. _"O-okay..."_ This all felt too surreal; he got to see his idol in person, see him perform, meet him... now he was coaching him and training him over the next few months. And they were going to bathe together and eat dinner... Yuri felt so happy yet overwhelmed. Like it was too good to be true, and that they were going to be friends. Without really noticing it he saw clearly how much more fit Viktor was then him, then again he was four years older then him and more developed as well. He blushed a little when he realized he'd been looking at Viktor as he scrubbed his torso and arms, returning to washing himself off and wondered if one day he'd be in a shape as good as Viktor was. When they were all soaped up Viktor turned the water on for them again so they could rinse off, making sure to rinse his hair as well. Yuri saw as Viktor's hair got wet, the strands sticking to his skin a bit, cascaded around his shoulders. _"Vicchan, your hair is so pretty..."_ he said quietly.  
  
"Hm?" Viktor blinked slightly and looked at the shorter boy with a smile. "Thank you, Yuu-chan. I take good care of it."  
  
"Do you ever braid it?..." Yuri asked curiously.  
  
"Da, I put it in two braids before I go to sleep so it doesn't tangle." Viktor replied, turning off the water again now and picked up his towel, tying it around his waist as Yuri did the same. They stepped out of the stall and went over to the bath stools by the shampoo and conditioner dispensers. "Why do you ask?" he asked curiously, taking the seat beside Yuri's so he could wash the younger's hair for him.  
  
Yuri blushed a little, keeping his head down and closed his eyes. _"I-I always thought you'd look really nice with a long braid... it'd look nice if you were performing too..."_  
  
"Really..." Viktor hummed in thought, putting some shampoo in his hands and started to wash Yuri's hair with it now. "I never really thought about that before. But I think that would be nice!"  
  
Yuri's blush deepened a bit now, smiling a little though. _"Really?..."_  
  
"Da, really. Thank you, Yuu-chan!"  
  
Yuri felt a fluttering sensation in his chest, feeling a little elated, and suddenly felt his chest tighten when Viktor caught him off guard. Which was when the elder leaned over and pecked a gentle kiss on the boy's cheek, causing his face to turn a bright, bright red and he jumped slightly, starting to fidget a little.  
  
"Hm? Ah, I'm sorry Yuu-chan! Did I get some soap in your eyes?" Viktor asked, gently tilting Yuri's head back to check.  
  
_"A-a-ah, no, I-I'm alright..."_ Yuri muttered, his face still red as he kept his eyes shut tight.  
  
_"Awww... Yuu-chan you are just so adorable!~"_ Viktor cooed, leaning forward and gave the boy a hug, his chest pressed against Yuri's back. "I just wanna keep you all to myself, Yuu-chan..."  
  
Yuri's face was as deep of a red as it possibly could get, usually by now he would have tried to run off and hide but... there was something simply comforting about the way Viktor held him. Even if he was only four years older then him he felt stronger then Yuri, like he could keep him secure. Without realizing it he smiled a little again now.  
  
"Viktor darling, don't dilly dally." Arthur's voice said from just a few chairs down where he and Francis were washing their hair now as well. Catching Yuri by surprise a bit since he had forgotten Viktor's grandparents were there as well.  
  
" _Aw_... alright Nana!" Viktor responded, letting Yuri go and finished scrubbing the boy's hair before rinsing out Yuri's hair now.  
  
"Once you're all set, I'll help you with yours darling," Arthur said as Viktor took some conditioner now to use on Yuri's hair. "I know it must be difficult to wash it all on your own."  
  
"It's nothing I'm not used to," Viktor said with a small shrug but he wouldn't fight it. His grandmother loved doting over him, and to be honest he actually really liked it when he did.  
  
Once he finished helping Yuri with his hair, Viktor sat still as Arthur rinsed his hair first to wet it. "Hm... you're getting split ends, we can trim them later."  
  
Yuri blinked a bit and looked over. "W-we have some scissors in the cabinet, I can get them for you."  
  
"Ah? Alright, thank you Yuri." Arthur said with a smile.  
  
Yuri went to the cabinets by the mirror, taking out the scissors that were by the shaving cream and brought them over to Arthur. He thanked the boy, carefully snipping off the split ends of Viktor's hair and giving him a check over to make sure he got them all and it was evened out. Once it was done he set the scissors down and helped to shampoo and condition Viktor's hair. All the while Yuri admired it, finding how beautiful and shiny it was. The elder was just so amazing... Yuri hoped he could be like him some day.  
  
Once they were all washed up, they went out to the hot spring and as they did, they ran into Yuri's parents as well as Viktor's. "Ah, hi Mama!" Yuri said with a bright smile.  
  
"Ah, Yuri-chan, how did everything go?" Kiku asked as he knelt down in front of his son.  
  
"It's going really good! Vicchan is a really good teacher. We're gonna train more tomorrow!" Yuri replied with an air of confidence around him that his parents hadn't seen before.  
  
Yao and Kiku both smiled now. "Ah, that's good. Just don't push yourself too hard." Yao said.  
  
Yuri nodded. "Yes Papa."  
  
"Well, why don't you just enjoy the hot water and relax now? We're going to go get started on dinner. Would you like some katsudon as usual?" Kiku asked.  
  
Yuri was about to say yes but then remembered what Viktor said about eating better, and he looked over at Viktor now. Without even asking him if it was okay Viktor just smiled and nodded, so Yuri smiled and looked back at his mother. "Yes please, Mama."  
  
"Katsudon sounds amazing! I haven't had it since the last time we were here." Viktor said with a smile. "I'm so hungry I could eat twelve whole bowls of it!"  
  
Alfred chuckled softly at his son's gusto and pat him on the shoulder a few times. "We'll see about that soon, darling." he said before they headed inside.  
  
"Ah, Uncle Yao, Aunt Kiku! I've been meaning to ask! Is it okay if I do a cannonball into the hot spring? Pretty please? It looks like so much fun!" Viktor asked excitedly.  
  
The two of them chuckled before they looked at the Russian boy. "Well, I don't see why not. But just once, okay?" Yao replied.  
  
"Yuri likes to do that sometimes too, so it's fine." Kiku added.  
  
Yuri turned bright red again, Viktor looking over at him again. "Really? That is so cute, Yuu-chan!" Viktor commented, hugging the smaller boy tightly to his chest again now. **_"Come on, let's go!"_** he said, letting him go and then sprinted to the water. In one quick motion he tore off his towel and jumped, holding onto his knees. **_"Cannonbaaaaaaaaall!!"_** A splash rippled through the water around him now, Viktor resurfacing now and flipped his hair back out of his face now. _"Hehehehehe, **that was fun! Yuu-chan, come on! You jump in too!** "_  
  
Yuri blinked a bit, hesitating for a moment but nodded, going over and jumped into the water now too, but left his towel on rather then taking it off. His splash was much smaller then Viktor's, but the elder laughed softly and smiled, clapping his hands for him. **_"That was great, Yuu-chan!"_** Viktor praised him.  
  
"Alright Viktor, settle down and relax for a bit now..." Arthur said as him and Francis sunk into the hot water, sitting against the rocks so they could soak and relax in the hot water now.  
  
"Yes Nana..." Viktor replied, swimming over to where there were a few extra towels and dried off his hair a bit before wrapping it up and tucking it under the towel now. "It's nice to be back in a real onsen, but it was a little more fun to swim around in when I was littler! It was like swimming in a big hot bathtub! I'm a little too big to do that now..."  
  
Francis chuckled softly, keeping one of his arms around Arthur's shoulders and smiled as he saw Viktor going back nearby Yuri now. "Well, hot springs are for relaxing. After a long day like this you should just lay back and take it easy for a while or you'll be burnt out before you even finish dinner."  
  
" _Mmmh_ , alright Pop-Pop..." Viktor hummed softly, leaning against the rocks a bit and slipped his eyes closed. "Today was really fun, wasn't it Yuu-chan?"  
  
Yuri's face was a little red again, partially from the hot water this time, though he smiled and nodded. "Hai, Vicchan... I had so much fun watching all of the performances today. And getting to practice with you... it was like a dream come true. I've still got a lot to learn though..."  
  
"Don't worry about it," Viktor replied, reaching out and ruffled Yuri's damp hair a bit. "I've still got a lot to learn too. But practice makes perfect, so don't give up on yourself so easily."  
  
_"Mmh... okay, Viktor..."_ he said with a small nod again.  
  
There was quiet for a few moments, after which Viktor slipped his eyes open and suddenly smiled. "Ah, Yuu-chan! I've got a good idea, why don't we sing that song Momiji sings in Fruits Basket? You know, from when they went to the Sohmas' hot springs inn."  
  
Yuri blinked a little in surprise, looking up at the elder. _"Y-you know that song?..."_ he asked shyly.  
  
"Da! When I have free time I love to watch anime." Viktor replied. "Come on! Sing it with me, Yuu-chan!"  
  
  
Viktor: **_Yuhi you yamani,_**  
**_Teru, teru, Momiji._**  
**_Kaeru yatokage ga,_**  
**_Kon'nichi wa._**  
  
**_Koi--_**  
  
  
Viktor blinked and looked over at Yuri, since he was being so quiet. "Come on Yuu-chan, sing it with me!"  
  
Yuri blushed, fidgeting for a moment before he decided to go along with it.  
  
  
Yuri: **_Y-yuhi you yamani,_**  
**_Teru, teru, Momiji._**  
  
Viktor: **_Kaeru yatokage ga,_**  
**_Kon'nichi wa._**  
  
Yuri: **_Kaeru yatokage ga,_**  
**_Kon'nichi wa.  
  
  
_** "There we go!" Viktor said with a bright smile.  
  
  
Viktor and Yuri: **_Yuhi you yamani,_**  
**_Teru, teru, Momiji._**  
**_Kaeru yatokage ga,_**  
**_Kon'nichi wa._**  
  
**_Koi no arai mo,_**  
**_Tabu no ko umani._**  
  
**_Yuhi you yamani,_**  
**_Teru, teru, Momiji._**  
**_Kaeru yatokage ga,_**  
**_Kon'nichi wa._**  
  
  
Arthur and Francis smiled as they listened to the boys sing the cute little song together for a while. It was precious how well they worked together, they just knew they would have a special friendship, or perhaps more.  
  
After they had soaked in the water for long enough, they got out and dried off before going inside and each of them putting on a yukata before they went to go have dinner. Arthur had helped Viktor with drying his hair and put it in two braids for him as well, Yuri having watched as the elder's silver hair was braided like shining strands of stars. When they sat down to dinner he was surprised that the elder sat beside him again, blushing a little and inwardly hoping he hadn't done anything to annoy Viktor at all.  
  
"Yuri-chan? Are you alright darling?" He blinked and picked his head up as he heard his mother address him, seeing he had already set out his katsudon in front of him. "You look tired... you're not getting sick are you?" he asked, reaching out and laid the back of his hand on Yuri's forehead to check if he had a fever.  
  
"Hm?" Viktor had the tip of his chopsticks in his mouth and he swallowed now. "Yuu-chan, I didn't work you too hard did I?"  
  
_"A-ah, no I'm fine..."_ Yuri replied.  
  
"Well, you don't feel warm... but you should get to bed early tonight. After a long day like today you're going to need to rest up." Kiku said as he took his hand away from his son's forehead now.  
  
"He was so excited to go watch the tournament today that he hardly slept last night," Heracles said. "I'm honestly surprised he didn't fall asleep on the train ride there or back..."  
  
"Oh? Yuri-chan, you know you shouldn't push yourself so much when you haven't properly rested." Yao told his younger son.  
  
Yuri nodded a little, rubbing at his eyes a little under his glasses. "Yes Papa, I know... but I was really excited! And training with Viktor was really fun..."  
  
"Hai, just eat up and when you're done I'll go set up the futons for you in your room darling." Kiku said.  
  
Yuri picked up his chopsticks with a nod, taking a bite before he realized his mother said 'futons'. He swallowed before he looked up and asked, "What do you mean 'futons'?"  
  
"Ah, well, since you and Viktor are getting along so well we thought you two wouldn't mind sharing a room for the summer." Yao replied.  
  
Yuri nearly spluttered and turned redder then a strawberry. **_"E-e-eh?! B-b-but--"_**  
  
"Yuu-chan you don't need to be embarrassed about anything! I don't mind sharing a room at all!" Viktor told him with a smile, already halfway done with his katsudon.  
  
_**"B-b-b-b-but I've got so many pictures up and it's really really weird--"**_  
  
" _We already told him about the pictures Otouto-chan._ " Ming and Mei said in unison, to which only caused Yuri's blush to deepen and he ducked down under the kotatsu to hide his face.  
  
" _Girls!_ How many times do we have to tell you not to tease your little brother?" Yao scolded them with a slight glare.  
  
" _Aw... but it's fun!_ " they pouted.  
  
"Girls."  
  
They sighed, climbing under the table to talk to Yuri now. _"We're sorry Yuri-chan."_  
  
_"... Okay..."_  
  
The twins crawled back out now but Yuri didn't budge, still too embarrassed to move.  
  
"Yuri," Kiku leaned down and looked under the cloth surrounding the table. "Yuri darling, come on out... before your dinner gets cold."  
  
Viktor set down his chopsticks, reaching down and put his hand on Yuri's back. The boy tensed up and jumped slightly, hitting his head on the underside of the table. "Yuu-chan, come on! Come on out, what are you so embarrassed about?" he asked, gently rubbing the younger boy's back to see if that would help him feel less tense.  
  
" _All the pictures from magazines he cut out and put on his bedroom walls of you, Viktor-san._ " the twins answered in unison.  
  
Yao sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. _"Will you two **ever** listen to us?..."_ he muttered.  
  
"What's so weird about that?" Viktor asked. "There's probably a lot of people who do the same thing! That just means they admire my skating." A moment later, he put his other hand on his chin in thought. "I mean I do have a few weird fans like that one girl who wanted me to autograph her chest... why would someone even want me to do that?" he asked a bit obliviously.  
  
"Not important, darling." Alfred said without hesitating. Not that Viktor didn't notice his own changing body as he grew older nor how girls' were changing too, he just didn't seem interested in girls.  
  
Viktor just shrugged at his mother's response before looking back down at Yuri, who had at least stopped shaking from being nervous again. "I don't think it's weird at all Yuu-chan. It's like you're my number one fan so, and we're friends right? So it's really sweet."  
  
Yuri was silent and still for a moment before shifting slightly. _"... Really?..."_  
  
"Really really," Viktor replied with a small nod. Slowly, Yuri crawled out from under the kotatsu, his hair a bit messy and his face still red but not nearly as dark as beforehand. When he came out though he squeaked in surprise, eyes going a little wide when Viktor pulled him in for another tight hug, rubbing his cheek atop of Yuri's head with a wide grin. _"You are just too adorable, Yuu-chan~ I wanna steal you away and keep you forever!~"_ Viktor cooed.  
  
"These two are just too adorable..." Alfred said with a smile.  
  
"Vitya, you should let Yuri finish his dinner. And you need to finish yours as well." Ivan soon said.  
  
Viktor pouted a bit but nodded. "Da, Papa." he said, almost reluctantly letting the little Japanese boy go so they could both sit properly now and finish their katsudon.  
  
Kiku noticed how close Viktor was to having an empty bowl and he asked, "Would you like seconds Viktor? We always make plenty."  
  
"Yes please, Auntie Kiku." Viktor said with a smile, holding out his bowl that Kiku took to fill up again. He then thought of something and looked over at his mother. "Ah, Mama! After dinner can you take another picture of me and Yuu-chan together? Like when we were little! I wanna put it in my scrapbook for this summer!"  
  
"Sure thing darling," Alfred said with a nod.  
  
Yuri blinked and looked up. _"W-we had our picture taken together before, Vicchan?..."_ he asked.  
  
"Mm-hm! We visited Japan when you were a baby, Yuu-chan. Ah! I got the picture in my suitcases somewhere upstairs!" Viktor replied. "Every time we went out somewhere we took our picture together, it was really fun! And you were so cute, you'd always stop crying if I was holding you."  
  
"I think I have a copy of one of the photos," Kiku said, getting up and going over to a bookshelf with a few photo albums in it. He took out a small blue one and brought it over to the table, opening it up and held it out for Yuri to look at. "Ah, right here. This is from the first morning of their visit. Viktor woke up in the middle of the night and helped me get you back to sleep." Kiku said with a fond smile at the memory.  
  
Yuri looked at the photo in wonder, seeing a four year-old Viktor with much, much shorter hair but still in his distinctive style dressed in a sky blue yukata and holding a baby Yuri in his arms. There was a happy smile on Viktor's face as he looked down at Yuri, who was wrapped up in a red blanket patterned with snowflakes. Baby Yuri looked like he was smiling and in the middle of a happy giggle, one of his hands reached up towards Viktor happily. Yuri could see there was a special gleam in Viktor's eyes in the photo as well and he blushed a little. It looked as if the only thing in the world he cared about was Yuri...  
  
No, that couldn't be right! He was getting ahead of himself, thinking like that, wasn't he?  
  
"You were the cutest little baby I've ever seen, Yuu-chan~" Viktor cooed, hugging the boy against his chest suddenly again. "And you've got the softest hair too!"  
  
"It was really cute how attached you got to Viktor in such a short time. You were so upset when he had to leave." Yao said with a soft chuckle.  
  
_"Mama wouldn't let me sneak you home in my suit case,"_ Viktor muttered.  
  
"We would have missed him too much if you did." Kiku said with a soft chuckle.  
  
"But at least now that I get to travel around a lot, I can come visit more often!" Viktor replied with a smile, hugging Yuri tighter now. "And when you get to travel around for competitions, we can see each other even more, Yuu-chan! But you gotta promise to keep training and practicing when I leave in a few months."  
  
Yuri blinked a little, blushing again but he smiled and nodded. "H-hai, I will I promise."  
  
Viktor unwrapped his arms from around him and held out one of his hands in front of him now, his pinky extended out. "Then let's pinky swear on it, Yuu-chan. That no matter how far apart we are we'll never give up and some day we'll get to compete together!"  
  
Yuri slowly lifted his hand up and reached his pinky out now, hooking it gently with Viktor's now. "I promise, Vicchan."  
  
Shaking their pinkies, they recited together, **_"Pin-ky swear!"_** before breaking their pinkies away.  
  
The rest of the meal went by almost uneventfully, Viktor and Yuri both putting away quite a bit of katsudon, and then on top of that there was fresh taiyaki for dessert as well. Yuri was so full and sleepy he started to fall asleep against Viktor's side, the elder not minding at all and simply wrapped his arm around him, holding him close. "Yuu-chan is so cute when he's sleepy..." He stretched his neck a bit, cracking it slightly, feeling about ready for bed himself too though not so visibly worn down as the younger boy.  
  
"Aw... I think the little guy is ready for bed. It's been a long exciting day." Yao said at the sight of Yuri falling asleep against Viktor like that. Without even needing to be told, Kiku had grabbed his phone and took a picture of them like that, finding it so precious.  
  
After he took the photo, Kiku stood up. "Why don't I get him up to bed, he needs the rest after today." he said.  
  
"I got him," Viktor said, carefully lifting Yuri in his arms and stood up, holding the sleepy boy against his chest. "He hardly weighs anything," he said with a soft chuckle, noticing how Yuri's cheek pressed against his chest now. "I think I might get some sleep too, I don't wanna sleep too late tomorrow."  
  
Alfred nodded. "Well, alright darling." Him and Ivan stood up, followed by Francis and Arthur. "Good night, Viktor. Sleep well." Alfred kissed his son on the cheek.  
  
"Night Mama, night Papa." Viktor said as Ivan kissed his cheek as well.  
  
"Good night my little Russian Twinkle Toes," Arthur said softly, cupping Viktor's face in his hands and kissed his nose.  
  
"Good night, _tout petit_." Francis said, brushing his fingers gently over Viktor's hair before he kissed his cheek as well.  
  
"Good night Nana, night Pop-Pop." Viktor responded with a smile.  
  
Once he was done saying good night to everyone, Kiku showed him the way upstairs to Yuri's room. He opened the door, Viktor stepping inside after him. He looked around a little, seeing the pictures Yuri had been embarrassed about. He smiled a little, actually finding a lot of his favorites were up on the walls. It just made him think of how fond Yuri was of him without even knowing him... and how fond he was of the boy in return. Hoping that would mean they could be good friends.  
  
"Yuri doesn't have a bed right now, so you'll both be sleeping on futons for the time being," Kiku said as he started making up the futons for them, putting them side-by-side so they boys could be close if they wanted to. "If you need anything though you can just let me know, alright Viktor?"  
  
"Da, thank you very much Auntie Kiku." he replied with a smile.  
  
Once the futons were set up, he brought Yuri over to his and set him down, putting the blankets over him. Kiku reached for his glasses, slipping them off of his face and set them down beside his futon in a spot where they wouldn't get stepped on. He leaned down, kissing Yuri's forehead softly. "Good night. Sleep well, little one."  
  
_"Mmh..."_ Yuri nuzzled his pillow a little, giving a small sleepy hiccup from how full and warm his tummy was. _"Night... Mama..."_ he muttered tiredly.  
  
Shortly after Kiku left the room, Viktor laid down in his futon, having taken out his brown stuffed puppy from his suitcase before he did. He held it in one of his arms as he laid down close to Yuri's futon, the only light left on was the nightlight by the wall next to Yuri's futon. He smiled a little at the sight of the sleepy boy, reaching his free hand over and placed it gently over Yuri's. _"Good night... Yuu-chan."_ he whispered.  
  
Yuri didn't respond, but his hand twitched slightly and held onto Viktor's gently in return. Soon, the both of them were asleep, pressed close to one another through the entire night.  
  


* * *

  
  
The next morning, Yuri was waking up and groaned tiredly, nuzzling the stuffed puppy in his arms and smiled a little. It was soft and it smelled nice... he felt warm and comfortable, like he could sleep all day from how tired the day before made him.  
  
As he rousted he recalled dreams of dancing on ice, blue eyes and long flowing silver hair. Of a strong, confident body holding him close and a voice like that of an angel's, calling him 'Yuu-chan'.  
  
_**"Yuu-chan... Yuu-chan! Wake up, sleepy-head! It's time for breakfast!"**_  
  
_"Mmmmh... Mama 'm sleepy..."_ he muttered, burying his face in the fluffy puppy plushie.  
  
...  
  
Wait a minute. He didn't have a puppy plushie.  
  
Yuri's eyes snapped open, gaze blurry from his lack of glasses and morning tiredness. Head tilting up and saw that silver-haired angel leaning over him with a bright smile. "Good morning, Yuu-chan! Come on, your mama and I made breakfast. We've got a long day ahead of us, we'll go train for a bit then we'll go and sight-see!"  
  
Viktor. It was Viktor and he was really here. That hadn't all been just a dream! Yuri's cheeks turned a light red, suddenly scrambling to sit up, feeling around for his glasses. _"V-V-V-V-Viktor!"_ He felt the metal frames under his fingers now, grasping them and put them on. Blinking when he couldn't see right, what was wrong?  
  
The Russian giggled a little into his hand, reaching out and took the glasses off of his nose. "You put them on upside down, silly head," Viktor said, turning them the right-way up and put them back on Yuri's nose for him now. He then smiled now. "There we go." He reached out and rustled Yuri's hair a little. "Good morning, Yuu-chan! You look so cute like this... hair all messy and cute."  
  
Yuri blushed a little more, but a moment later he smiled too. "Good morning, Vicchan."  
  
"Come on! Let's go eat." Viktor said, grasping him by the hand and pulled Yuri up onto his feet. "We've got some time to train this morning before we leave."  
  
"Leave?" Yuri asked with a blink, still holding the stuffed doggie in his free arm as Viktor led the way out of his room and downstairs. "W-wait I thought you were staying the summer!"  
  
"Da, I am! But my parents aren't staying all summer so we want to do some sight-seeing together before they leave. Don't worry, we can still sight-see when they leave too! Since I'm staying here so long I wanna see as much as I can." Viktor replied. "Oh! We can take pictures together for my scrapbook for this trip like we did last time I came! Won't that be fun?"  
  
The summer went by almost as if it were a dream. Viktor and Yuri spent their days training and having fun together, and eventually after Yuko had recovered from the cold that kept her from seeing Yuri she got to meet Viktor and happily admired them both as the Russian trained the Japanese boy. Occasionally she tagged along during one of their trips around, Takeshi as well, but for the most part Viktor and Yuri spent the summer together in bliss as their friendship blossomed.  
  
With Viktor's gentle encouragement and tough love at times, Yuri dropped weight a became more physically fit for skating and gradually began to skate with confidence. Viktor choreographed some simple routines for him to a few of his favorite songs to practice to, which also seemed to help, and soon Yuri was barely making any mistakes when he practiced.  
  
As the summer came to a close, so did their time together, and for the last week they trained less and went around doing things even more. The one big thing they did before Viktor and his sister would return to Russia was go to a summer festival together.  
  
Yuri's parents and siblings all went with them, everyone dressing in a summer kimono so they could go enjoy festival food and games, and finish off the night by watching fireworks. As they looked at different booths, Yuri and Viktor both bought something for the other to have to remember them by while they were apart. Yuri bought Viktor a snowflake pin, and Viktor in turn gave Yuri a small snowflake pendant. They both blinked and giggled when they saw how similar their gifts for each other were before exchanging them. Yuri put the snowflake broach on Viktor's kimono, Viktor put the necklace on Yuri.  
  
That summer was one that Yuri nor Viktor would ever forget, and before Viktor's family boarded the plane to go home to Russia, him and Yuri pinky swore to see each other again. And already made plans to see each other again, as Viktor was disappointed he hadn't been able to go to the Sapporo Snow Festival during his stay in the summer. So they planned on going some day when Viktor would return.  
  
Yuri stayed in the airport as the plane took off, watching from the window and waving even though Viktor couldn't see him. He couldn't see Viktor either, but Viktor waved the entire time during take-off and until he could barely see the airport again. With a heavy heart, Viktor put on his headphones and turned on the playlist of songs that Yuri had given him. Smiling fondly, his fingers running over the snowflake pin he now had on his sweater. He would wear it every day, on every outfit he would wear to perform.  
  
That night, Yuri lay in bed, feeling lonely without Viktor beside him, having become accustomed to his presence during the summer. But the night before he left, Viktor told him he wanted Yuri to take care of his stuffed puppy for him.  
  
"I don't want to lose him, traveling around so much now... so Yuu-chan, promise you'll look after him and care for him for me. Give him lots of love for me."  
  
He smiled, holding the stuffed brown dog in his arms. 'Munchkin' had been the name Viktor had given him, but said Yuri could name him anything he wanted now. So Yuri was calling him 'Mochi'. Pressing his face into Mochi, he inhaled and smiled. It smelled like Viktor...  
  
_"Vicchan... I promise, I'll do my best for you... I'll face off against you one day, and we'll have as much fun together as possible..."_ Yuri whispered in the dark, closing his eyes and drifting off. _"We'll see each other again soon..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have this head-canon that Yuri is secretly a huge anime fan, and Viktor is too, which ends up being a bonding point for them. XD
> 
> Also that Alfred likes using his full name, a lot, even if it's long from hyphenating it after marriage. XD It just seems like a very Alfred-thing to me.
> 
> Anyways, I've been having fun rereading and editing this story as I post each chapter. :3 And as I've been writing it the last few months, I've had fun as well. Truth be told I started writing it before I even finished the series. XD That was how inspired I was.
> 
> Thank you all again for reading! <3


	4. Yuri and Viktor: Fourteen and Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viktor returns to Japan after he wins the gold in the senior division, and Yuri having just won the gold in the junior division. They fulfill their promise to attend the Sapporo Snow Festival together, and by the end of their trip, feelings become stronger, ensuring their relationship will never be the same as it once was. Yuri affirms his vow to one day compete against Viktor, hoping to make his dream of standing on the podium with him a reality.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was planning this chapter I had originally wanted it to be where Yuri was 12 and Viktor was 16... but I couldn't come up with something that felt natural enough, so 14 and 18 seemed a bit more fitting. So the idea I originally had for this chapter never really came into fruition. XD That's the creative process at work, I guess. Things don't always turn out the way you think they will.
> 
> Also as a footnote before the chapter begins: the song I referred to is, probably obviously, History Maker. XD But I just wanted to clarify it anyways.
> 
> Thanks for reading so far, and I hope you enjoy the chapter! <3

* * *

  
  
  
  
Yuri moved out on the ice as easily as a swimmer moved through water. By the sidelines Yuko watched him as he practiced the routine he was working out, along with Yuri's chocolate brown toy poodle with his paws on the railing, tail wagging as he watched Yuri as well.  
  
Even when Yuri stumbled or made a mistake he tried not to get distracted by it, only further impressing Yuko as she watched with a smile, hands folded together in admiration.  
  
Before they knew it, the song ended and so did Yuri's performance. A beat of silence passed by before Yuko clapped and jumped up a bit with a happy smile. "Yuri-kun you're doing so well! You worked so hard to win the gold and I see why. At this rate you'll be in the senior division next year!"  
  
Yuri smiled, skating over towards her, the toy poodle barking happily and he pet him after Yuri was by them again. "Thanks, Yuko-chan. I was really hoping I'd be able to get in this year and finally face off against Viktor..." The dog barked and Yuri chuckled, scratching behind his ears. "No Victor, I don't mean you." he told the poodle. "But one more year in the junior division won't kill me. I just need to work even harder this year so I can make it next year. Vicchan was in the senior division when he was fifteen... I just need to work as hard as I can to make it by then too."  
  
Suddenly, the both of them blinked when a song very familiar to Yuri came on over the PA system. Yuri looked over his shoulder, gasping and his eyes widened when he saw a blurry but familiar figure on the other side of the rink. Those long, flowing locks of silver hair twirling around a body clad all in black...  
  
Over the years, Yuri listened to this song countless times. Skating to it whenever he had the time, just for fun, imagining what sort of routine for it Viktor had thought up. During several late-night and early morning talks on the phone and on the computer, they often shared music with one another and this was one song they listened to together one night. Yuri could feel his heart pound when he listened to it, the music flooding his body and skating to it with thoughts of Viktor on his mind.  
  
Without even thinking about it, Yuri found himself skating out onto the ice again and began to move to the music for the thousandth time in his life. Several times he found his eyes closing, moving so naturally and fluidly he looked as if he practiced this in his sleep.  
  
Yuko's eyes were wide with admiration as she watched the two move on the ice; how their bodies moved closer together as it went on. How at times, their hands would grasp one another's or their arms would lock together in a spin as if they had practiced together countless times. As the song neared its end, she found herself gasping out loud when she saw Yuri stumbled without meaning to, almost falling onto the ice only to be caught and lifted back up onto his feet, hands interlocked with one another's as they finished.  
  
Brown eyes slid open, meeting closed lids for only a moment before blue eyes opened before his and a warm smile spread itself on Viktor's face. "You've been practicing, Yuu-chan."  
  
Yuri smiled whole-heartedly, jumping happily onto the other, who caught him almost effortlessly and didn't even stumble, instead hugging Yuri tightly and twirling around on the ice with him a bit. "Vicchan! What are you doing here?"  
  
Victor barked excitedly, jumping on his back legs as he did. Viktor chuckled and stopped spinning, letting Yuri back down onto his feet now. "We made a promise, remember? To go to the Sapporo Snow Festival together." he replied, holding up his pinky with a smile. "And plus... it isn't every day we get to celebrate us both getting the gold, is it?"

* * *

  
  
"I'm really happy to see you again Viktor... I can't believe it's been two years since we saw each other."  
  
Viktor smiled, holding Yuri's hand as they walked along the road together. They were both bundled up for the cold, even Victor was dressed in a little red and white sweater. The puppy happily trotted along ahead of them, very well behaved and trained so he didn't need to be on a leash all of the time.  
  
"I've really been looking forward to this, Yuri... things have been a little stressful lately. But I'm glad to be here. I've really missed you..."  
  
Yuri could tell from his tone of voice what he was talking about, his breath ghosting out in front of him as they strolled side-by-side. "How is Nathasha doing?..." he asked gently. "Hera-kun... he doesn't say much when he calls."  
  
Viktor's eyes looked down a little, a sigh coming from his nose and fogging the air in front of him. "She's... doing alright. Mama and Papa always said that no news is good news, but... I still worry about her."  
  
"How are her treatments going?..." Yuri asked a bit delicately.  
  
Viktor sighed softly through his nose again. "She's responding well to them, but... her hair's gonna start falling out soon." There looked like there were tears forming in his eyes, but he wasn't letting them fall. "... I made an important decision... I wanna cut off my hair for her soon. And donate it to that Locks for Love program." Suddenly, a small smile pulled at his lips and an amused breath passed his lips. "I wonder how many people will go crazy and try to find it when word gets out ."  
  
Yuri snorted slightly and smiled a bit, giving Viktor's hand a gentle but firm squeeze now. "You're such an amazing brother, Vicchan. Natty is lucky to have you."  
  
Viktor looked over at him with a soft smile now. "Spasibo, Yuu-chan." A moment later, he reached over with his free hand and mussed Yuri's hair a bit. "Speaking of... why did you stop growing out your hair?"  
  
Yuri blushed quite a bit now and bit his lip, looking down towards the ground now. "I-it didn't look good on me... it was really unruly for a while, and every time I put it in a ponytail I looked like a girl... some teachers and students who didn't know me used to ask why I was wearing a boy's uniform. So I just cut it short again..."  
  
Viktor giggled a little now and smiled softly. "For what it's worth, I think you looked really cute with it. And really pretty too." Yuri's blush deepened, Viktor giggling a little again when he saw his ears had turned red as well. "Aw, Yuu-chan... you are just the cutest~" he cooed, wrapping his arms around Yuri now, snuggling into his hair a little.  
  
Soon they arrived at the Katsuki Inn, Yuri opening the door for them and let Viktor in before he stepped in as well. Closing the door behind him, he soon called out, **_"Mama, Papa, I'm home! And Viktor is here--"_** A moment later he was cut off when he heard loud barking, followed by a jingling collar as he heard loud footsteps as well. Soon he saw a blur of brown and suddenly let out a surprised shout as he was pounced down onto the floor. His face was now being licked by the large brown poodle who had his paws on his shoulders and his tail wagging happily.  
  
"Aw, Makkachin is happy to meet you!" Viktor said with a giggle, watching as Victor stayed nearby and sniffed curiously in Makkachin's direction. "That's how he greets me, too."  
  
Yuri panted a little from surprise, but smiled a bit and reached up to pet the dog behind his ears. "A-ah, hello Makkachin... nice to meet you too."  
  
Victor yipped happily, jumping up on his back legs in excitement now, his tail wagging very fast. He seemed to catch Makkachin's attention and the bigger poodle picked his head up, looking over at the toy poodle and leaned his head over. Sniffing Victor's head he soon gave him a lick on his head. "Alright Makkachin, let Yuri up, da?" Makkachin seemed like he knew exactly what Viktor said and obeyed, getting up off of the Japanese boy now and he yawned. He then went over to Victor and gave the puppy a few licks on the head. Viktor smiled and bent down to pet him. "Da, there's a good boy."  
  
Yuri pushed himself up into a sitting position with his palms, laughing a little bit. "Aw, that was so sweet... Makkachin likes me already?"  
  
Viktor smiled and nodded. "Of course, why wouldn't he? We've talked on the phone and on the computer so much he knows your voice." Victor yipped a little bit, making Viktor chuckle softly again. "Just like with Little Victor, da?"  
  
Yuri blushed a bit, though he nodded. "Yeah... Mama thinks it's cute how he got his name. I couldn't decide on one, but because we talk so much and he heard me say Viktor so often, I guess he thought it was his name. So I guess he sort of picked it."  
  
"I am a little hurt you spell it differently then my name though," Viktor said with a slight pout.  
  
Yuri blinked a little and blushed a little more. "A-ah, well... I just thought it'd be easier that way. So if I'm writing it down it's a little less confusing..."  
  
Viktor chuckled a little, picking up Victor in his arms as the puppy jumped happily towards him. "I'm only teasing, Yuu-chan." he said, reaching over and ruffled Yuri's hair a little. The Russian smiled when he saw it made Yuri smile a bit as well.  
  
"Ah, welcome back you two!" They looked over towards the doorway to the dining room and saw Yao standing there with a smile. "Good to see you again, Viktor-san. We brought your things up to Yuri's room, so you can get settled in when you're ready."  
  
"Oh Uncle Yao, you didn't need to do that! I would have done it myself." Viktor responded, though he gave him a bow in respect. "But I really appreciate it, thank you very much."  
  
"It was my pleasure, you are our guest after all." Yao replied with a smile, returning his bow. "Now then, why don't you and Yuri go take a nice bath? You must be exhausted from the trip and from training."  
  
Viktor smiled brightly. "Sounds lovely Uncle, thank you." He took Yuri's hand in his without hesitation, giving him a soft smile. "Come on, I'll help you wash up Yuu-chan."  
  
Yuri's face turned visibly redder again, nodding a moment later and have his hand a squeeze in return. "H-hai, Vicchan."  
  
Soon, they were in the bathroom and disrobing. Yuri couldn't help but catch glances of Viktor's body, though it was hardly the first time they had been like this in front of each other. Even so... with a shade of pink across his cheeks, he admired his smooth skin, how his body looked like it was sculpted with alabaster... his long silver hair that went down to just above his rear now. Viktor was beauty and grace from the inside out.  
  
"You're staring again, Yuu-chan." And his voice was deep and sounded like silk being spun into his ears, snapping Yuri back into reality and his face only turned redder when he saw the intense look in Viktor's eyes. He smirked playfully and chuckled lightly when Yuri suddenly turned his head away, muttering an apology as he took off his glasses and placed them on the counter. "You're too adorable, Yuri." he said, reaching over and gently grasped his chin. Lifting the younger boy's head back up and looked into his eyes with a soft yet firm gaze. "Come now, don't worry so much, my darling Yuu-chan. Let's get washed up now, da?"  
  
His ears were burning red hot and the Japanese boy thought he could hear his heart beating in them. Soft brown eyes looked into deep pools of azure, as beautiful as a squall storming over a summer ocean. Slowly, he returned his smile with a small smile of his own, before giving him a nod. _"H-hai, Viktor..."_  
  
As they washed up so they could soak in the hot spring, Yuri was insistent on helping Viktor as the elder did for him. They scrubbed each other's backs and bodies, washing one another's hair, Yuri feeling and admiring the elder's long, soft locks of silver hair that shimmered in the lighting of the bathroom. He admired Viktor as he skillfully dried it off a bit, wrapping it up in a towel before they headed outside. They were alone and had the water all to themselves, settling down into the water side-by-side.  
  
Viktor didn't hesitate to drape his arm around Yuri's shoulders, causing the younger to blush yet again but he didn't protest. "This is really nice, Yuri... I haven't been able to relax like this for quite some time." Viktor said quietly, gently running his fingers over Yuri's wet hair. A soft, amused snort came from his nose now. "I'm only eighteen and I'm already saying such things... I haven't even started college yet. I can't imagine how much I'll want to be here so I can relax when I'm back in St. Petersburg next month..."  
  
Yuri sighed softly through his nose, leaning against Viktor's shoulder a bit. "You're incredibly smart and talented, Viktor-san. I know that you can persevere. The best things in life don't come easy... I can't tell you how many times I just broke down and cried under the pressure. I wanted to give up so many times... but I never did. You're strong... you're so strong, Viktor. If I can be half the man you are when I'm your age, I'll consider myself lucky."  
  
Viktor's breath fogged slightly in front of his face, blending in with the steam coming up from the water. One of his favorite things to do when he visited Yuri in Japan was to take open-air baths with him. They were relaxing and peaceful, and he loved to be alone with the boy he cared about ever since he was a little baby. In the winter it was beautiful to see the snow falling as they bathed, the water keeping them warm from even the cold air around them. He slipped his blue eyes closed, leaning his cheek gently against Yuri's soft black locks. "You put me on too high a pedestal, Yuu-chan." he uttered softly, but nevertheless he smiled.  
  
Yuri, enjoying their closeness, and the quiet alone time they had, smiled a little and leaned against him a bit in return. "That's because I truly mean it, Vicchan."  
  
They were so warm and comfortable, an hour passed before they knew it. Noticing their skin starting to prune, they got out of the water and went inside to dry off and dress in their yukatas for the night. Viktor left his open a little at the chest, which frankly Yuri did not mind at all.  
  
Yuri did notice how Viktor removed something from the sweater he'd been wearing earlier, blinking when he saw him affixing the snowflake pin he'd given him all of those years ago to his yukata. He smiled a little at the sight, fingers gently feeling at the silver chain around his neck that held the little snowflake charm on it that matched Viktor's pin. Viktor noticed and he smiled at him in return, reaching his fingers out delicately to touch the little snowflake that rested against Yuri's chest. "You still wear yours too, Yuu-chan."  
  
"Of course I do," Yuri replied with a nod. "It's my lucky charm."  
  
Viktor almost seemed like he was blushing a little now, but he gently touched his fingers to the pin on his yukata now. "So is mine. I wear it all the time."  
  
After their shared moment, they continued on their way back to the dining room. Beforehand, Yuri had the honor of putting Viktor's hair in a long braid. He smiled as he did, admiring the elder's hair as he often did, happy to help him braid it. As they stepped inside they were soon taken by surprise when suddenly everyone jumped up and yelled, **_"Surpriiiiiise!"_** Confetti party poppers were popped, confetti flying around the room and on the pair who nearly stumbled backwards.  
  
_"W-what is all this?..."_ Yuri asked, blinking profusely as he wiped some confetti from his glasses.  
  
" _It's a surprise party for you two, of course!_ " his sisters replied in their usual way of chorusing things together. Which worked quite well for them, saying as they were a pair of rising pop stars in Japan.  
  
Kiku smiled softly and stood up. "It's a party to celebrate the two of you winning gold. And a belated birthday party for you both."  
  
_"R-really?..."_ Yuri responded, feeling rather baffled.  
  
"Of course. We're all proud of you both." Yao said.  
  
Viktor saw the look of surprise and wonder on Yuri's face and he smiled, wrapping his arms around the younger's shoulders. "I'm proud of you too, Yuu-chan. Come on now, let's celebrate!"  
  
Yuri smiled a little more now and nodded. "Hai."  
  
They sat down to dinner together, each of them being given a plastic king crown to wear as the guests of honor. Yuri was a little reluctant but he didn't fight it when Viktor plopped the crown onto his head. There seemed to be like an endless flow of food; katsudon and piroshkis among them, as they were Yuri and Viktor's respective favorite foods. Just when it seemed like they were too full out came a cake, which had lit candles for them to blow out together, making their belated birthday wishes with each other. After cake Yuri was so full he could barely move, Viktor chuckling a little and smiling as the Japanese boy leaned against his shoulder.  
  
Before he knew it, they were up in his bedroom to turn in for the night. Makkachin and Victor in tow, curling up and cuddling with each other as they shared Makkachin's doggie bed together that Viktor had brought along for him to sleep in.  
  
Once they were ready for bed, Viktor picked up Yuri and placed him down in the bed first before climbing in beside him, pulling the covers over themselves. Yuri's bed was spacious enough for them both and then some, though they preferred cuddling up to one another whenever they could; so that was just what they did. Viktor wrapped his arms around him, nuzzling his cheek against Yuri's hair, smiling as Yuri, almost instinctively, snuggled into the elder's chest. The Russian smiled, slipping his eyes closed with a soft, contented hum. With a soft kiss to the top of Yuri's head, he uttered quietly, _"Good night, Yuri."_  
  
Yuri breathed gently and hummed a little, relaxing easily pressed close to Viktor and feeling safe and comforted in his strong arms. _"Good night... Viktor..."_  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Time passed almost in a blur; Viktor and Yuri spent a week together in Yuri's home town before they were packing to leave for their trip to Sapporo. Luckily the hotel they had booked for their visit allowed pets, so they were bringing along Makkachin and Victor. Before they left, Yuri's parents gave them some bentos for them to share on the train. They had also bought themselves some snacks and drinks as well so they were set.  
  
On the train ride they sat across from each other and looked out of the window, admiring the view, Yuri pointing out what certain places were to Viktor since he hadn't been to many places in Japan before. They were on the train for some time, and when they were on the way to their hotel a few girls recognized them both and asked for pictures, which they obliged to. Yuri had been very surprised because he rarely had fans who asked him for a photo, but with Viktor by his side he had the encouragement he needed and was very polite and thankful to them.  
  
As soon as they arrived at the hotel and checked in, they went to their room and settled in. They went out to eat together at a restaurant, taking a stroll around for a little while with the dogs before they returned to the hotel. The inn had hot springs as well, and luckily they were able to bathe privately before they went to their room. Drinking some refreshing drinks and sharing a few snacks, it didn't take long for them to settle in for the night. After setting up the doggie bed for Makkachin and Viktor they settled into bed together.  
  
The week went by quite quickly; waking up every morning and having crepes for breakfast, then going and enjoying the festivities together. They walked everywhere hand in hand, and a few times even being able to go ice skating at the rink. Makkachin and Victor were on their best behaviours, obeying them when they told them not to do something and were able to have them go off of their leashes a few times without wandering off.  
  
Before they knew it, the last day of the festival was over, and they were at the hotel for their last night there. They weren't quite as tired as they were the previous night but were happy to settle in for the night and get some rest before their train ride back to Hasetsu the next morning. As the dogs curled up in the doggie bed together they each took the side of the bed they usually did when they slept together.  
  
The curtains were left open enough for the moonlight and stars to flood in, and as Yuri settled down beside Viktor, the elder smiled at him. Without glasses to hide behind, his brown eyes looked so full and beautiful. Catching the younger by surprise, he cupped his cheek in one hand, making Yuri gasp softly before he blinked and looked up at the Russian. Viktor smiled fully, brushing his own hair behind his ear so it didn't block his vision, leaning down closer and pressed his forehead against Yuri's. _"You're so beautiful, Yuri."_ he said softly.  
  
Yuri felt his cheeks flush a little from the warmth and intensity in Viktor's deep blue eyes, another soft gasp escaping his lips when Viktor cupped his face with both hands now.  
  
A moment later, their lips met. Yuri's eyes widened slightly from surprise, but he slowly found himself melting a little from the simple touch. Hesitating for a moment until he felt one of Viktor's arms wind around him, he soon wrapped his around Viktor's shoulders as well. The kiss was tender but firm, feeling the warmth of Viktor's lips over Yuri's that twitched a bit unsurely beneath them. And yet he didn't want it to end, though it did after Viktor reluctantly pulled a few inches away, both of them breathing softly. Yuri's eyelids slowly blinked and he looked into Viktor's eyes, brown orbs showing a little confusion. A moment later, Viktor bit his lip and glanced to the side. _"I-I'm sorry, Yuri... I probably shouldn't have done that."_  
  
"I don't care." Yuri surprised himself with his own response, Viktor looking back at him with a blink of his own. _"I..."_ His hands turned into fists against his knees, blushing a little more as he looked into Viktor's blue eyes and swallowed. _"... I've wanted to do that for a long time... Vicchan..."_  
  
Viktor's eyes suddenly softened and he gave a warm smile, a soft breath coming from his nose and he gently cupped Yuri's cheek in one hand. _"You are so precious, Yuu-chan..."_ he said quietly, gently placing their foreheads together again. "You're so precious to me... you mean the world to me."  
  
Slowly, Yuri lifted one of his hands up and gently laid it on Viktor's chest. Able to feel his muscular but not overly bulging frame. A body that was strong enough to make him feel safe when wrapped in his arms, and able to relax beside him whenever they were pressed close together. If there was any way to express how he felt about Viktor... he knew very well what it was.  
  
"You know... when you were a baby and I saw you for the first time... I knew right then and there that you were going to be special to me." Viktor uttered gently, slipping his eyes closed. "If I only knew how right I was back then..." he said with a soft smile. "You mean so much to me Yuri. You're my best friend in the whole world... and I..." It was the elder's turn to blush a little this time, a little glad his eyes were already closed. _"... I do love you, Yuri..."_  
  
Yuri could feel his heart skip a beat, swearing he could hear it throbbing in his ears; his face never felt warmer, not even when he had the flu. _"I..."_ he uttered, voice shaking slightly. He lifted his free hand up, grasping Viktor's hand and gently, their fingers wove together. _"... I love you too, Viktor..."_ he replied.  
  
Viktor sighed softly through his nose, giving Yuri's smaller hand a small squeeze. "Some day... we'll be able to be together. Until then... know that you will always have my heart, Yuri. I'll make you proud..."  
  
"I'll make you proud too, Viktor. I promise, I'll do my best. I'll make it to the senior division after next season... and I'll make it to the Grand Prix Final some day. I promise you... I'll do my best for you." Yuri responded with a firmness in his voice that he didn't often possess. "I'll be worthy of your love some day."  
  
"You have always had my love, Yuri... from the very first moment I saw you." Viktor replied firmly, pulling away slightly to gaze into Yuri's eyes again. "No matter what happens, I will always be proud of you. I vow this to you."  
  
Yuri could practically feel his heart throbbing, hard and loud, echoing in his ears. The next moment, he was enveloped in that strong embrace he loved so very much and they were kissing again.  
  
As they lay together that night, they kissed and held each other close, falling asleep in one another's arms. Yuri's cheek pressed against Viktor's chest, nuzzling the skin that was left bare from the elder's yukata; which was open a bit at the chest, as he usually wore it.  
  
Almost in the blink of an eye, their trip was over. Soon so was Viktor's visit to Japan; before they knew it, Yuri and his parents were seeing Viktor and his grandparents off at the airport. Makkachin sat diligently at Viktor's side, and Victor did the same beside Yuri, the two dogs seeming like they were bidding each other a goodbye to one another.  
  
"Well..." Viktor looked down with a soft sigh, holding Yuri's hands in his. "I guess this is goodbye for now, Yuu-chan."  
  
Yuri could feel his chest tighten a little, glasses already fogging slightly, but he managed to smile softly and gave Viktor's hands a squeeze. "I'm so glad we could share these memories together, Vicchan. I always dreamed of going to the Sapporo Snow Festival... and it means the world to me that I got to be there with you."  
  
Viktor smiled warmly now, looking at him with small, happy tears gathering in his eyes. "Don't forget, practice hard and study hard too. And I'll see you in April when Golden Week rolls around; I'll show you all around St. Petersburg."  
  
Yuri nodded firmly and smiled. "Hai, Vicchan. And you promise to practice hard too. For the Grand Prix Final, and for the Russia Olympics next year. I know you can do it. I'll try my hardest and I'll never give up."  
  
Unable to hold back anymore, Viktor wound his arms tightly around Yuri's shoulders, holding him close for as long as he could. _"I love you, Yuri."_ he whispered in the Japanese boy's ear.  
  
Yuri blushed a little, but he squeezed Viktor as hard as he could. _"I love you too, Viktor."_ he whispered in return.  
  
Viktor gently grazed their lips together, his long hair blocking it from the view of their parents and grandparents, respectively. When they couldn't stay any longer, Viktor reluctantly unwound his arms from Yuri and Yuri had to let him go too. Viktor smiled gently, brushing a bit of messy black hair from Yuri's forehead. "We'll see each other again soon, Yuu-chan." He held out his pinky to Yuri, who hooked his pinky with Viktor's.  
  
They shook their pinkies together, saying in unison, **_"Pin-ky swear!"_** before breaking the pinky shake.  
  
Soon, Yuri was waving as Viktor walked off with his grandparents, Viktor waving in return as well. He watched from the window as Viktor boarded the plane, still waving to one another, and as the plane took off they kept waving until the plane was barely visible anymore. Suddenly, Yuri felt his heart clench and tears welled in his eyes.  
  
A hand gently placed itself on his shoulder, picking his head up slightly and looked to see it was his mother. Kiku smiled gently, rubbing his shoulder softly. "I know how much it hurts for you two to be apart. And some day, you'll be able to hold each other in your arms every day of your lives."  
  
Yuri sniffled a little bit, slipping his fingers underneath his glasses and wiping at the tears in his eyes. "I know... that's why until we can be with each other every day, all of my memories with him are so precious to me. I want to do my best for him... I want to make him proud. And I..." He fisted his hands in determination and looked into his mother's eyes. "I'm going to try my hardest to make it to the Russia Olympics and stand on that podium with him. And after I get the gold in the junior division Grand Prix Final this year... I'll face off with him in the senior division next year. I'll do my best to stand next to him on the ice. I don't care if he gets gold and I only get bronze... some day I can surpass him. I'll win the gold one day."  
  
It was hard for Kiku to be surprised by the firmness and assertion in Yuri's voice over the years, but there was something new in his tone that simply made his eyebrows raise up high on his forehead. It was the way he seemed so confident, so firm in his declaration that he could feel that it was from the very emotions Yuri had forming inside of him. His love for Viktor, his love for ice skating, was driving his very soul to try his hardest and damn it if he wouldn't be able to keep going. When Yuri put his mind to something, with the right inspiration he could do anything.  
  
Kiku gave him a firm pat on the shoulder now. "I know you can do it, my little Yuri. You're turning into such a fine young man... no matter what happens, no matter if you come in first place or in last place, I will always be proud of you. And I know Viktor will always be proud of you too."  
  
Yuri sniffled slightly again, but he smiled and gave his mother a firm nod. "Arigatou, Mama."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally up until posting I referred to the "Russia Olympics" as Sochi, but I thought that gave too much to the timeline. ^^''' I'm leaving the timeline a bit ambiguous because I imagine when they were born modern technology is how their parents kept in touch with their old college friends. And it hasn't been said yet but a part of how Ivan and Alfred even met was thanks in part to the internet. Still gotta flesh that out later on in the story...
> 
> I was torn between changing it from Sochi but I figured just saying "Russia Olympics" would leave it open-ended enough so yeah. XD Anyways, end tangent.
> 
> Anyways, I'm very excited about the next chapter. It made me really emotional when I was writing it (in a good way, though) and I hope that when I post it you'll enjoy it as well. :3 I adore this chapter because it deepened things from more then "just friends", which had been my idea when I first wanted to write it. Like I said in my notes at the beginning, it was part of the reason why I changed it from 12 and 16 to 14 and 18, so it would seem more natural.
> 
> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! And thank you all so much again for the kudos and views. It stuns me when I see the view counter growing, but it makes me happy that there are people who are enjoying reading this. :3 Thank you again and I'll see you in the next one! <3
> 
> P.S.: Also in case you didn't notice, I went back and edited so that the twins' unison dialogue is in italics. I figured that'd make it a little easier to tell when it's both Ming and Mei.


	5. Yuri and Viktor: Twenty and Twenty-Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they wait for Nathasha and Heracles' baby to be born, Viktor is a worried mess for his sister, given her fragile health. At Arthur's suggestion, Viktor and Yuri take a short trip to a cafe for some alone time to help him clear his head. Later that night, when they're alone, Viktor asks Yuri a serious question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating for a while, busy week with work and everything. But enough about me.
> 
> Anyways, in a few ways this chapter is meant to be a reflection of the prologue; similar in a few ways, but also showing, now that Yuri and Viktor are both adults, their lives and their relationship continue to progress, while their families start to grow as well. I haven't really made figure skating the main focus in the plot, but it is a contributing factor. All's well that way though since I suck at describing routines with words... ^^'''
> 
> It's a little short, but sometimes short and sweet is the way to go. So with that in mind, I hope you enjoy this chapter. :3

* * *

  
  
  
  
Viktor had his hair cut just a few months ago, and it was just past his shoulders now. Every year he made it a tradition to grow it out, and then after the Grand Prix Final he cut it off and donated it to Locks for Love. He would also donate half of his earnings to cancer research foundations and often volunteered to teach underprivileged children how to ice skate. There was an orphanage in St. Petersburg that he regularly donated new and used skates, toys, clothes, and many other things to.  
  
Yuri, having been inspired by Viktor, grew his hair out every year as well. He was making a name for himself as the Japanese figure skater who looked rather feminine, and with Viktor's encouragement he would choreograph routines that were usually quite unseen in the mens' division. His flexibility was unmatched by any man, including the renowned Viktor Frederick Nikiforov. In the last Grand Prix Final, he made it to third place and went home with the bronze medal. Even though he was disappointed in himself for messing up, Viktor held his hand as they stood side-by-side on the podium, placing his flower crown on Yuri's head, kissed his cheek without hesitating and held their hands up high in the air with a large grin, beaming with pride.  
  
It was early May now, and Viktor was pacing back and forth, his hair naturally flowing around his shoulders as he did. They were in a hospital waiting room in St. Petersburg; the same waiting room where Arthur and Francis waited with Nathasha the night that Viktor was born. Down the hall in a delivery room, Nathasha was giving birth to her and Heracles' first child, and Alfred was in their with them to be there for his daughter. In the waiting room Viktor waited, along with his father, grandparents, Yuri and Yuri's parents.  
  
Viktor was pacing worriedly around the waiting room as they waited to hear something. Over the years, Nathasha's leukemia had gone into remission but when she and Heracles started trying to have a baby, they had trouble conceiving because of the her previous treatments. But by some miracle, after a handful of miscarriages, she managed to carry the baby to term, albeit she had gone into labor a week earlier then anticipated. Viktor loved his only sister, his only sibling for that matter, very much. She was always encouraging him during his training days and always recorded his performances when she was in good health. Nathasha and Heracles had already asked him and Yuri to be the baby's godparents as well, that was how close they were with their respective siblings.  
  
"Vitya," The young silver-haired man blinked and stopped when his father's deep and firm voice met his ears. He turned and looked at him, seeing the somewhat weary look in Ivan's eyes. "You should sit down for a little while. It'll probably be some time before the baby comes."  
  
Viktor looked down and sighed, one of his hands already having trailed up to his sweater and tracing the snowflake pin that laid against the black fabric. "I know it'll be a while... that's why I can't sit still."  
  
Yuri's eyes softened a little, looking at Viktor with worry in his eyes. The elder was very distressed, and for good reason. Leukemia had done a number to Nathasha before she went into remission. Viktor had even gone through several painful bone marrow donations when she needed a transplant, saying as finding a match for her would have taken too long if he hadn't. He had done it without even being asked to do so.  
  
"Vitya, we're all just as worried as you are." Ivan said, standing up and placed his large hands on his son's shoulders. "Natty is my little girl... I'd be worried if she were in in tip top shape. But right now we should keep calm. If anything bad happened, they would have told us by now."  
  
Viktor lowered his head again, sighing and slipped his eyes closed. _"... If anything happens to her or the baby... I... I just..."_  
  
"I know, Viktor." Ivan pulled his son into a tight, careful hug. "I know."  
  
Yuri was worried about Nathasha and Heracles, and he was now worried about Viktor as well. He wished he knew what to say, anything to make the elder feel better... but he was coming up empty-handed. A moment later, Arthur stood up and looked in Yuri's direction. "I've got an idea. There's a coffee shop just down the street. Yuri, why don't you and Viktor go down there for a little while?"  
  
" _A-ah_ , alright... should we bring back anything?" Yuri asked.  
  
"Later. You two go have a breather for a while. We'll call if anything happens." Arthur assured him.  
  
Ivan smiled firmly and gave Viktor a nod. "Da, go on. Get some air and something to drink, Vitya. We'll call if we need to."  
  
Viktor could tell from the look on his father's face that he wouldn't take no for an answer, so he exhaled softly through his nose, giving a small smile and he nodded. "Da, alright... we'll be back. We'll bring back drinks for everyone."  
  
Their walk to the elevator, going down to the first floor, and outside was quiet. But Viktor didn't hesitate to hold Yuri by the hand. When the doors to the exit opened, a rush of bitter cold hit them and Yuri nearly jumped from surprise. Russia was always cold, it was a cold he could never get used to. He had no idea how Viktor could live here and not go crazy from the temperature, but the elder made it seem so easy. Viktor couldn't help but chuckle a little, holding Yuri's hand tighter now as they walked down the sidewalk. The evening sky was already dark, and there was a light snowfall around them, making the world around them look like a snow globe. That was one thing Yuri loved about Russia; the snow. It was full of snow, and it was beautiful. Viktor loved the snow, as he had expressed when they took their trip to the Sapporo Snow Festival. They planned to return to Sapporo for the festival again some day when they could.  
  
Stepping into the cafe was a relief for Yuri, who actually sighed in relief and he unbuttoned his coat and took off his scarf and hat, glad to be in a warm place again already. "Still can't stand the cold, can you Yuu-chan?" Viktor asked playfully as he unfastened his coat and took it off, holding it over his arm.  
  
"Hai... I'm not used to cold like you are, Vicchan. You're practically a polar bear!" Yuri replied.  
  
Viktor chuckled a little more again and shook his head in amusement. Soon him and Yuri were sitting at a table together with their coffee, the Japanese boy already warming up quite a bit now. "Your cheeks are so rosy right now... you look adorable, Yuri." Viktor said with a smile, leaning his cheek against one of his hands.  
  
Yuri blinked a little and ducked his head down, taking a small drink from his coffee cup now. _"Y-you're so sweet to me, Viktor..."_ he uttered.  
  
Viktor smiled, slipping his eyes closed with a soft sigh. "Say... do you think I'm worrying too much, Yuri?..."  
  
Yuri placed his cup down, staring down into the brown liquid swirling around in the white confines. "I don't think so... I know it comes from a good place. I'm worried about Nathasha too... she is my sister in-law after all. She's family... she's giving us our first niece or nephew."  
  
Viktor sighed softly, keeping his eyes closed. "You know... that's the same hospital that Natty and I were born in. It's the same waiting room that Nana and Pop-Pop were in, waiting to hear something from down the hall. Natty was there with them the night I was born too..." He cracked his eyes open and glanced out of the window. "It probably sounds overly-dramatic, but... she's always been there for me. If anything happens to her... I'll be a little brother without an older sister."  
  
There was a long moment of silence shared between them, which ended when Yuri reached over and placed his hand over Viktor's. "You have every right to be worried. Even if Nathasha was in tip-top shape it would be worrisome too... but you need to have a little faith right now, Viktor. It doesn't always make sense, but sometimes we need to believe with a blind faith." He gave Viktor's hand a firm squeeze. "Believe in Nathasha the way that you believe in me. No matter what knocks me down, just knowing you're there for me is what keeps me going."  
  
Viktor was silent for a moment, but with small tears in his eyes he managed to smile softly, looking across the table at Yuri. "What on Earth would I do without you, Yuri?... You're my rock." He lifted his chin off of his other hand, cupping Yuri's hand in his hands. Lifting Yuri's hand up, he kissed the backside of it with a sweet smile.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
It was just past midnight now; Viktor and Yuri sat side-by-side, Yuri's head rested on Viktor's shoulder and Viktor gently leaned his head against the younger's. The Russian was half-asleep, Yuri having been asleep for about an hour now.  
  
Suddenly, when the double-doors opened, Viktor groaned softly and cracked his eyes back open just in time to see his mother approaching them. He had a neutral look on his face, Viktor suddenly blinking and sitting upright, accidentally waking Yuri. The silver-haired boy quietly apologized to him, before standing up and stepping closer to his mother now. "Mama, is something wrong? How is Natty doing?"  
  
Alfred was silent, glancing around the room at everyone as they turned their attention to him, some of them waking up like Yuri was. After a long pause, he smiled widely. "It's a boy." Viktor lost his breath for a moment, his eyes going wide. "Nathasha's fine."  
  
Ivan stood up and approached his husband, taking Alfred's hands with a wide smile on his face. _"We have a grandson..."_  
  
Alfred returned his smile fully, tears gathering behind his silver-framed glasses. _"We have a grandson."_ he uttered before Ivan enveloped him in a tight, loving embrace.  
  
Viktor's throat was tight, blinking and suddenly felt the tears falling down his cheeks. He turned to Yuri just as the younger stood up, smiling to him now. "Yuu-chan... we have a nephew."  
  
Yuri sniffled softly, wiping at his eyes and nodded. _"We have a nephew..."_  
  
He stepped in closer, wrapping his arms around Viktor, burying his face in his chest as Viktor held him tightly. Viktor's jaw trembled a little as a happy sob raked through his body, the corners of his mouth pulling upwards into a wide grin. Happy tears streamed down his face, sniffling heavily. "Our godson is here."  
  
A little while later, Heracles brought Nathasha out into the waiting room in a wheel-chair. She wore a light purple bath robe, holding a small bundle wrapped in sky blue to her chest with a tired expression on her face, but also a small smile. The baby had olive skin like his Greek father, and chocolate brown hair growing out in messed up tufts from the top of his head. He was sucking on his fingers a little, making sleepy cute baby noises, his eyes remaining shut at the moment.  
  
"Everyone... we'd like you to meet our son." Heracles told them with the proud smile of a new parent and a tender look in his eyes.  
  
_"Oh, Hera... he's so beautiful..."_ Kiku uttered with tears in his eyes.  
  
"Did you decide on a name?" Ivan asked.  
  
Nathasha smiled and looked down at the baby in her arms, giving a nod a moment later. "We put a lot of thought into it, and we decided what his name is." she said, gently running her fingers over his hair. "Avi." Just then, the baby's eyes slid open, revealing tiny blue optics that had been hiding beneath his eyelids. "Short for... Alfred Viktor Braginski-Katsuki."  
  
Viktor gasped, his eyebrows arching up high on his forehead now. There was a knot caught in his throat, his lower lip trembling a little bit as he attempted to verbalize a reply. _"You... you gave him my name for his middle name?..."_  
  
"Da." Nathasha said with a nod, looking up at her little brother with a smile. "He has such a loving family, I wanted to name him after someone important to us. Hera and I came up with it... and it seemed perfect."  
  
_"Oh darling..."_ Alfred smiled, wiping happy tears from his eyes again. "It's an honor."  
  
Viktor smiled, his fingers going up and wiping tears from his face as well. "Da... it's a real honor to me too, Sestra."  
  
Nathasha smiled, kissing Avi on his forehead before handing him off to Heracles, holding him carefully before he turned to his baby brother and brother in-law. "I think he should meet his godparents now."  
  
Yuri smiled, nodding a little as Heracles came over to him and Viktor, settling the baby into Viktor's arms carefully. Viktor felt his breath catch in his throat when he held Avi in his arms; his stature was a bit larger then average, so the little baby looked even tinier in his arms now. Avi's eyelids fluttered closed and then opened up again, looking up at his silvery-haired uncle with blue eyes identical to his mother's. Eyes identical to his grandmother's... and his Uncle Viktor's eyes. Avi hummed softly, reaching up a hand and grasped onto his long silver hair, making Viktor chuckle softly. He leaned down, gently placing his forehead against the baby's, slipping his eyes closed. _"Hello, little one... hello, I'm your uncle... I'm your Uncle Viktor."_  
  
Avi pulled at his hair a little, making him chuckle a little again. At the same time, Yuri gently grasped the baby's free hand, seeing how tiny his hands were. _"And I'm your auntie... I'm your Auntie Yuri. We're going to be your godparents."_ he said softly, smiling all the while.  
  
Viktor smiled, picking his head up and carefully adjusted the baby in his arms.. "You are a special little boy, Alfred Viktor. I promise you... I'll do my best to be your uncle and your godfather. And let me tell you..." He held him up higher, holding him in the air, looking up at him with a smile, small happy tears in the corners of his eyes. "You were born to make history."  
  
A few hours later everyone went home so that Nathasha and the baby could get some rest, and soon Yuri and Viktor were alone in Viktor's bedroom. Save the poodle and toy poodle curled up on Makkachin's bed together, but they were already asleep. Even with the heat on in the house, Yuri was still bundled up and huddled under the blankets to stay warm; which was easier to do with Viktor laying beside him with his arms wrapped around his waist, holding the black-haired boy closely.  
  
"It's been some night, hasn't it, Yuu-chan?" Viktor asked softly, his chin tucked onto the top of Yuri's head.  
  
_"Mm-hm..."_ Yuri hummed in response, nodding his head slightly. His eyes were already closed. From having been at the hospital for so long and all of the excitement, he was quite tired already. Being in Viktor's warm embrace helped for him to relax as well, so he was close to falling asleep.  
  
Viktor was silent for a moment, keeping his eyes open but his voice was firm when he spoke. "... Marry me, Yuri."  
  
Suddenly Yuri gasped, snapping his eyes open and looked up quickly, laying his fuzzy gaze on the elder's confident face. _"Eh?..."_  
  
"Will you marry me, Yuri? Some day... I promise I'll be a man worthy of your love." Viktor responded, laying his hand on Yuri's cheek as the younger's eyes welled up with tears. "I'll make you proud. When I'm stronger, when we're both stronger, I vow that I'll be a good husband to you." he replied, his voice firm and determined.  
  
The tears slipped out of Yuri's eyes, landing on the pillow beneath his head, leaving small wet spots in his wake. A moment later, he gave a firm nod. _"... Yes..."_ he uttered, lips curling into a small smile as he lifted his hand up, grasping Viktor's hand that laid over his cheek. "Yes, I'll marry you, Viktor. I love you... and I promise some day, I'll be stronger. I'll make you proud, and I'll be worthy of your love and your strength. And I'll be able to give myself to you... all of me will be yours."  
  
Viktor smiled, holding Yuri's hand firmly in his as his other reached out to brush the hair from the younger's forehead. "I'll give you all of me, Yuri. I promise. Until then... never give up, never let go of what makes you special. Every step of the way, I'll be there for you."  
  
The younger sniffled softly, taking Viktor's hand and gently placed a kiss on the back side of it. _"Vicchan... aishiteru."_ he uttered.  
  
_"Ya lyublyu tebya, Yuu-chan."_ Viktor whispered, lifting his gaze up to meet Yuri's. As he stared into those beautiful brown eyes, he slowly leaned in closer, not stopping until their lips met.  
  
As Viktor held Yuri so surely, Yuri melted beneath him, returning the kiss with equal passion and wrapped his arms around Viktor's shoulders. Every time they kissed, be it a peck on the lips or a full-blown make-out session, as this one was quickly turning into, he savored it. If they were lucky, they saw each other once a year. Whenever they had the chance to be together, he never wanted to waste a moment. He suddenly didn't feel nearly as cold as he had before, letting Viktor take the reigns and dominate the kiss, enjoying it when he did so.  
  
He didn't know how long their make-out session lasted for, but it ended when it ended and they settled in to get to sleep after they were done. Viktor kept his arms firmly around his precious Yuri, who laid his head against Viktor's well-sculpted chest that was so strong and lovely he knew he couldn't tire of resting against it. The elder held him protectively, tucking Yuri's head beneath his chin once again, nuzzling his soft black hair from time to time.  
  
Wrapped up in each other, they drifted off, content and at ease beside each other. Neither one of them would forget their vow to each other, even while they slept that night. Cherishing their moments together, even as they snuggled up to one another asleep.  
  
A few weeks later, when Yuri needed to leave to go back to Detroit for training with his coach, their parting at the airport was bittersweet once more. Viktor's parents, grandparents and Yuri's parents, along with Heracles and Nathasha were there to see him off and Viktor held him tightly for as long as he could, holding back tears. He didn't hesitate to give him a full, firm kiss, letting it last for as long as possible before he had to pull away not only to let them breathe but so Yuri wouldn't miss his flight.  
  
Back at home that night, Viktor was sitting on the couch watching the recordings of his and Yuri's practices and routines they'd gone through during his visit. He'd just come from taking a shower and Arthur was standing behind the couch, drying his hair for him before brushing it and making a braid around his head with it, since it wasn't quite long enough for a standard braid. Viktor would rewind at certain parts, watching them over and over again, to see how to land certain moves better, or just to see the way Yuri moved so beautifully and fluidly at times.  
  
In particular, Viktor watched the routine they had performed with Heracles a week after Avi was born. Yuri's elder brother wasn't quite as skilled of a figure skater, saying as Heracles hadn't ever been in competitions like Yuri, but it was their special way to convey together what having the baby in their family meant to them. Heracles had brought up the idea to them before the baby was born, and they choreographed the routine together, keeping it rather simple, but had brought nearly everyone in their families to tears when they had watched them. The routine was set to "With Arms Wide Open" by Creed, and while he was skating it had caused Heracles to tear up as well. His emotions bubbled to the surface as they moved beautifully together. Surely he knew, he felt that his son would grow up to be a great boy. Just as Viktor had told him, he was born to make history.  
  
During one recording, in which Yuri and Viktor had been practicing a couple skating piece, he paused at one moment during the performance. When Arthur didn't hear the video playing again he picked his head up a moment later, seeing the image frozen on the screen that Viktor was concentrating on. There was a clear smile on Yuri's face, a soft fondness visible in his eyes that only Viktor had ever seen; one of Yuri's hands laid on Viktor's shoulder and one of Viktor's hands was on Yuri's cheek. His hand had only been on Yuri's cheek for a few seconds before it had moved as they continued the routine, but it was the moment that felt most intimate and special to Viktor during the time they had spent training together.  
  
Arthur couldn't help but smile slightly, finishing tying off the braid behind Viktor's head now before he carefully wrapped his arms around his grandson's shoulders. "He's really something special to you, isn't he my little Twinkle Toes?"  
  
Viktor remained silent for a moment, lowering his head slightly before he nodded firmly. "I will be the best me that I can be for him. I'll get stronger, I'll get better... I'll make him proud of me. I vow to be worthy of his love one day."  
  
Arthur gave him a gentle squeezing hug around the shoulders now, as if to reassure him. "Never give up, Viktor. I believe in you. He cares about you so much... he'd be crazy not to want your love. It won't be easy at times... but I know you two can do this."  
  
Viktor picked his head back up, looking at that image on the screen again. Practically feeling his heart skipping a beat just remembering the very moment it had happened...  
  
"I'll never give up, Nana." he replied in a strong tone. "Never. Not when it's for Yuri."  
  
Arthur smiled, leaning down and kissed the top of his grandson's head. "I know you won't."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, while originally writing this I cried so much. And while editing and giving it a final polish before posting it, I cried again. A LOT. Like ugly, gross crying. Lots of tears, lots of snot... sorry if that's TMI but that's how my creative process works. ^^'''
> 
> Thanks so much everyone for over 600 views, it means a lot to me! I'm not quite sure when I'll post the next chapter, I might slow down and wait a while since I'm a little stuck where I currently am later on in the story. The next few parts are quite long, hence my hesitation to post them so soon. I'll probably update in a week or two and hopefully be able to get out of my writer's block rut, once I have time after work slows down a bit since this is a busy time of year for me.
> 
> Again, thank you all very much and I'll see you in the next chapter! <3


	6. Yuri and Viktor: Twenty-Six and Twenty-Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next big step has come in Yuri and Viktor's relationship has come, and as nervous as Yuri is, he's just as excited for the big day. His mother and Arthur come along to ease his worries, helping to reassure him that his jitters are normal. Later on in the evening, Yuri and Viktor enjoy some alone time together as newlyweds, and then soon leave for their honeymoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are yet again with a chapter that made me ugly cry while I was writing it... ^^''' I'm just a huge crybaby, stuff like this happens to me all the time. I get emotional most of the time when I'm writing, it's just part of my process.
> 
> Anyways, here's the point in the story when there's more differences to the Yuri On Ice story line. And for anyone who has noticed Yurio's lack of presence... that shall be explained soon as well in an upcoming chapter. It'll become clear soon.
> 
> Thanks so much for all the views and kudos, they really make my day, especially when I've had a long day at work. I hope you all enjoy the next chapter! <3

It was December 21st, just four days before Viktor's thirtieth birthday. A lot had happened in the years that followed Avi's birth; Yuri managed to win another bronze medal during his second Grand Prix Final, and a silver medal during the third. But when he was twenty-three his life had taken a major hit that affected his ability to perform. During his fourth time making it to the Final, his grandparents had both passed away. He came in dead-last after the free-skate program after he heard the news; after his short skate he had been in second place, just 0.12 behind Viktor, and then the night before his free-skate Celestino came to his hotel room and broke the news to him. He knew it was the right thing to do because keeping it from Yuri would have been worse for the boy in the long run... but he had no idea just how badly it would shake him up.  
  
Yuri messed up every jump, every quad, every spin... he barely put in any effort at the end. What was worse, he didn't want to tell Viktor the bad news either because he knew that it would mess up the elder's performance as well. Without even needing to watch, he knew that Viktor would win the gold again.  
  
When he was heading out of his hotel room the night after the competition, he ran into Viktor who looked at him worriedly, placing his hands on Yuri's shoulders and asked him what was wrong. Yuri couldn't even look at him, tears clouding his vision and his glasses, choking out what Celestino had told him the night before. Viktor's breath caught in his throat, silent for a moment until he wrapped his arms firmly around Yuri and let the younger cry into his shoulder. He brought Yuri back to his hotel room, drew him a hot bath, and excused himself before he left. Yuri merely sat in the warm, steamy water and cried from time to time. When Viktor returned twenty minutes later he didn't hesitate to strip down, getting in with him and added in more hot water since the water had gotten colder during his absence. All he did was pull Yuri onto his lap, keep his arms around his waist and rested his head against Yuri's shoulder as he held the younger from behind. He let him cry, he let him sob, he reached for wads of toilet paper when Yuri needed to blow his nose.  
  
Viktor picked him up and dried him off when they got out of the tub, getting Yuri dressed in one of his sweatshirts before he got dressed too. He then picked up the bag of things he'd brought back with him; snacks and drinks of all sorts, and let Yuri pick out what he wanted. Viktor opened their drinks for them, handing one to Yuri and held out his can. "To Kenichi and Kira," he said. "May they rest in peace." He kept the toast short and simple, which Yuri appreciated, and they clinked their cans together before they each took a drink.  
  
When Yuri returned to Detroit after the funeral, he shut himself out from the entire world for months on end. He was the laughing stock of the figure skating world for screwing up so badly; though some people understood very well that his grandparents' death was a hard thing to go through when he was so close to taking the gold this year, many others considered it the biggest flub of his career and even publicly stated that he should retire. Phichit was rarely able to see him or talk to him, and Viktor was lucky if he ever returned a text or an email.  
  
Yuri spent several months finishing college in Detroit before he went back home. His first night back home, he went to visit Yuko at Ice Castle Hasetsu, and he did something they had done ever since they were kids: he performed one of Viktor's routines, flawlessly... and looking back on that night, he was glad he now had.  
  
"Yuri?"  
  
The boy was suddenly snapping out of his trance, blinking and picked his head up. He looked over at the door, finding Arthur standing there with his head peeking in. The British man gave him a kind smile, stepping inside and closed the door behind himself. " _A-ah_ , Arthur... sorry, were you waiting long?"  
  
"No, not at all." he replied, coming closer to him now. "Nervous?"  
  
Yuri let out a bit of a shaky sigh, nodding but smiled a little. "I haven't felt like this in so long..."  
  
"Don't worry, things like that are perfectly normal." Arthur told him, reaching out and fixed the boy's white, glittering bow tie a bit. The man chuckled a little. "I always knew your wedding would be something like this... it's just fitting of you and Viktor to get married in an ice rink."  
  
Yuri smiled a little and nodded. "Hai... I'm really glad we decided to do it like this. Especially here..."  
  
"The first time you two skated together was right here." Arthur said with a fond smile. "I remember that day so clearly. You were both such little things... and look at you now."  
  
_Knock knock knock._ **_"Yuri?"_** The door opened again, Kiku stepping in this time. _"Ah... oh look at you..."_ Tears of motherly pride welled up in the man's eyes, sniffing softly as he brushed his tears away. _"You look so beautiful, my little man."_ he uttered, going over and placed his hand on Yuri's cheek, looking up at his slightly taller son. "How are you doing?"  
  
"Well... if I have cold feet it's hard to tell in a place like this..." he replied, giving a slightly awkward laugh before he looked down. "Ah, I shouldn't have said that."  
  
"You should see Viktor; he's so worried he doesn't look good enough, or that something bad will happen." Arthur said with a light chuckle. "The jitters are completely normal."  
  
"Hai hai," Kiku said with a nod, smoothing out the white skater's outfit Yuri wore that resembled a tuxedo, and also emulated his Eros costume as well. "You know, before our wedding, your father was so nervous he almost cut his ponytail off."  
  
"At least he didn't almost get grease and pizza sauce on his suit before walking down the aisle like Alfred did." Arthur chuckled.  
  
"Wait, he seriously did that?" Yuri asked with a little giggle.  
  
"Oh that boy has the appetite of a horse! He eats when he's nervous, when he's happy, when he's sad; you name it, he does it." Arthur said with another chuckle.  
  
Yuri giggled a little more again, smiling as Kiku fixed his glasses for him. "... Mama, do you really think we can do this?..."  
  
Kiku's eyes became a bit stern now, his face serious but soft as he placed his hands on Yuri's shoulders. "Yuri Katsuki... I know you two can do this. You and Viktor have spent your entire lives together, building each other up and supporting each other. It hasn't always been easy, but never have I ever seen either of you give up on one another, or give up on yourself. Life isn't always easy... and it gives us so many ups and downs. But all that matters is you know you two want to spend them all together, as you have so all of these years. It's never easy to figure everything out, to know what our lot in life is, what our destiny is..." His brown eyes grew a bit fonder and gentler now. "I didn't know it, but I was destined to be your mama. I always did the best that I could for you; for your sisters, for your brother... but now, the rest is up to you. Your life is what you make of it. Take it by the hand... and do your very best. You and Viktor get to build a life together, make it whatever you can."  
  
Yuri blinked and suddenly felt tears rolling down his cheeks, a little surprised by their sudden appearance. He smiled, giving a small nod before he leaned over and hugged Kiku firmly. _"Thank you, Mama... I love you."_  
  
There was another knock at the door again, Francis calling from the other side. _**"Five minutes to go, then we get this show on the road!"**_  
  
**_"Yes, darling!"_** Arthur called in reply. He then looked over at Kiku and Yuri again, giving them a smile. "Well, here we go."  
  
Yuri nodded and smiled. "Here we go."  
  
"Ah, before I forget..." Arthur stepped closer, reaching into the pocket of his suit jacket. "I know you need a something borrowed for good luck, I wanted to give you this." He held out a slightly yellowed handkerchief, with a small embroidery pattern with birds along the edge. "My grandmother gave this to my mother, and my mother gave this to me. When Nathasha got married this was her something borrowed, and I want it to be yours today too."  
  
Yuri blinked away a few more tears, gently taking the small piece of cloth from Arthur's hands and smiled. "Thank you, Arthur. It really means a lot to me."  
  
Arthur smiled softly, giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Of course. You're family after all, Yuri."  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Yuri took a deep breath, his eyes shut as the curtain opened a few feet away from him and his father. Avi skated through them, holding a little pillow since he was the ring bearer. After he made it up front, it was Axel, Lutz and Loop's turn to skate out together, scattering the flower petals all around as they did.  
  
A moment later, Yao gave his son's arm a firm squeeze. "Are you ready, Yuri?"  
  
Yuri slid his eyes back open and looked at him, nodding. "Yes, Papa."  
  
Yao gave him a gentle smile, and a moment later they glided on the ice to the curtains, where they stopped and turned before slowly making their way out now.  
  
There were streamers, balloons and flowers seen all around the rink at Ice Castle Hasetsu, and rows of guests both on and off of the ice. Yuri allowed himself to look up from his father, who had skated almost as much as a goldfish spent time out of water, wanting to make sure he wouldn't fall, and when he did he gasped when he laid his eyes on Viktor. His outfit was nearly identical to Yuri's, and his long silvery locks were put in an updo on the back of his head so they were out of his face. His hair was still long and beautiful, but had thinned some over the years so it didn't look like there was a large lump on the back of his head where it was pinned into place for the ceremony.  
  
The moment the Russian man laid eyes on Yuri he smiled and practically beamed; if Viktor could have his way, he would envelope Yuri in his arms right then and there. Maybe even spin around on the ice with him, as he so loved to do. Beside Viktor at the alter stood Christophe, who had been rather surprised when the silver-haired man asked him to be his best man but accepted the offer graciously, feeling very honored. And near where Yuri would be stood Phichit, not surprisingly with one of his hamsters' heads sticking out of his suit jacket pocket. He had already discussed that with Yuri, who gave him the green light to bring them along, saying as Makkachin and Victor were both there as well.  
  
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Viktor Frederick Nikiforov and Yuri Katsuki into the bonds of holy matrimony." The judge now addressed Yao, "Who gives this bride to Viktor?"  
  
Viktor stifled a snort in his throat and smiled a little at the way Yuri blinked and blushed when he was refered to as 'the bride'. Yao merely smiled, giving his son's arm another gentle squeeze. "My husband and I do." He turned his head, giving Yuri a soft kiss on the cheek before taking Yuri's hand. With a small smile, Viktor held out his hand and took Yuri's hand himself now and Yao looked at him firmly. "Take good care of my baby boy, Viktor." Yao told him a bit sternly.  
  
With a nod, Viktor responded. "I promise I will. I will do my best to protect him, and I will never hurt him. I swear on my very life."  
  
Yao gave a small smile now, holding back a few tears in his eyes and nodded. "Thank you, Viktor."  
  
Soon, once everyone was in place, the ceremony begun and Viktor and Yuri stood beside one another, holding both hands and looking into each other's eyes with smiles.  
  
"Friends, family, loved ones, we are here together to witness the union of Viktor Frederick Nikiforov and Yuri Katsuki. Marriage is a sacred bond, and love is the strongest force on this Earth, and to witness love is a very beautiful thing." Viktor gave Yuri's hands a few gentle squeezes as he saw fit, content just to stare into his deep brown orbs as they listened to the judge. "Marriage is about trust, love, confidence, and accepting your partner for their faults and their strengths. Joining together in this way, you will build each other up and help each other when you fall. Like peaks and valleys, marriage will have it's ups and downs, but when you persevere together there is nothing you won't be able to do."  
  
Yuri could already feel hot tears daring to lay at the cusp of his eyelids, but didn't yet fall. When Viktor noticed he merely smiled, squeezing his hands softly again.  
  
"The couple has written their own vows that they would like to exchange now." The judge looked over to Chris. "Best man, do you have the rings?"  
  
Chris nodded, reaching into his jacket and took out a ring case, along with the paper Viktor had written his vows on. He opened the case, giving Viktor Yuri's ring and his vows. Viktor gently took Yuri's left hand, upon which was a silver engagement ring with a sapphire, and two small diamonds on each side. They both still had their gold promise rings on their right ring fingers, not wanting to part with them. Carefully, he slid the silver wedding band onto Yuri's finger so it nestled up nicely to his engagement ring. Yuri's wedding band was a bit feminine, but complimented him and his ring nicely.  
  
"Yuri, with this ring I vow to spend the rest of my life with you. To be the best man that I can for you, and I will spend every day trying to make you happy." Viktor began, holding Yuri's left hand in his gently as he only glimpsed the paper his vows were on from time to time. "Yuri, the day we met was the most important day of my life. I was only four years old and you were only a baby, but you were the most precious thing I had ever seen. I had no idea just how special you were, or how much of an impact on my life you would end up having. When we finally got to meet each other again years later, I had never been so happy. You have given me so much more then just a best friend; you gave me inspiration and encouragement. I strove to better myself more and more, so I could make you proud of me. And I never told you this until now... but every time I winked when I was performing, I did that for you."  
  
Yuri gasped softly in surprise when he heard Viktor admit that, but it made him smile a bit widely now.  
  
Viktor returned his smile, looking into Yuri's eyes as he continued reciting his vows. "You are the man of my dreams, and the only person I can picture spending the rest of my life with. You are my past, present, and future." When he was done, Chris took the paper back and Viktor gently placed his hand on Yuri's cheek, cupping it gently now.  
  
Soon, Chris gave Yuri the ring for Viktor and it was his turn to say his vows. The Japanese boy carefully took Viktor's left hand, slipping the ring onto the elder's finger. "Viktor, with this ring I vow to stand by your side no matter what happens." he began, taking a deep breath and looked down a bit, keeping his gaze on Viktor's hand as he held it while reciting his vows. "I have been... agonizing for weeks--for _months_ , about what I wanted to say when we got here. Putting my feelings about you into words has always been one of my weak points... but that's what I like about you the most. You push me and encourage me whenever I need it the most. That might not seem like a big deal to most people, tough love, but... you are gentle and encouraging when you need to be, and you're always there for me. Even when I was being stubborn and felt like I didn't deserve for you to be..." His jaw trembled a little bit, holding back his tears but managed to calm down by taking another careful breath. "The year I messed up... when I holed myself off away from everyone, from you... I felt like I never deserved to be this happy. But you always managed to prove me wrong on that account at every turn. You have always been my rock, and even though I'm bad with words, you accept that part of me because I strive to be better the more you do." He picked his head up now, looking into Viktor's eyes before he continued. "As a child, I fell in love with you from afar. I was inspired to be as strong and talented as you some day... and the year that you coached me, you made me realize my own self-worth. I couldn't have won the gold without you... but that triumph wouldn't have meant anything if I didn't have you there with me. You are what made it worthwhile, what made it special. You give me strength I need to grow, the wings for me to fly, and the love that I will always have for you. I vow to give myself to you eternally, and always do my best for you. You're my best friend, my soulmate, and my Prince Charming. I promise I will be the best husband for you that I can be."  
  
Viktor's eyes blinked once, a few happy tears slipping past his eyelids before a wide smile formed on his face. Seeing that, Yuri sniffled a bit heavily and felt the warm drops cascading down his cheeks now as well.  
  
"Do you, Viktor Frederick Nikiforov, take Yuri Katsuki to be your lawfully wedded husband; to have and to hold, through good times and bad times, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"  
  
Viktor gave one, firm nod. "I do."  
  
"And do you, Yuri Katsuki, take Viktor Frederick Nikiforov to be your lawfully wedded husband; to have and to hold, through good times and bad times, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"  
  
"I do." Yuri answered, giving Viktor's hands a squeeze.  
  
"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may kiss the bride."  
  
Viktor couldn't help but smile a little again at the way Yuri blushed at the word 'bride'. He took a step closer and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, pressing their foreheads together. _"I love you."_ he whispered to him just before his lips landed on Yuri's. His eyes slipped closed, as did Yuri's the kiss lingering for a long moment before they parted. "My beautiful wife," he teased, giving him another little wink now.  
  
Then, catching Yuri off guard, he wound his arms around him tightly and instead of skating down the aisle with him, he lifted him up in his arms and started to skate around the rink happily, twirling them both around. At one point his hair came out of its up-do, now flowing around them like a silvery wind before he finally set Yuri down again. Yuri was blushing a little but he smiled, leaning up and gave the elder a soft kiss now.  
  
When they parted, Viktor lifted him up into a bridal carry this time and began skating around once more, feeling elated. **_"I have the most beautiful wife in the entire world!~"_** he announced to all of their guests.  
  


 

* * *

  
  
  
A short time later, after Viktor was able to part with coddling Yuri so much they were able to have their wedding photos taken. Their friends and family were all happy to take pictures with them, even having a few taken with Makkachin and Victor as well. Both of the dogs had gotten a bit old, so they weren't quite as hyper as they had once been, but were both still well-behaved and happily posed with their parents. Yuri was sure not to hold Victor for too long, since he had proven to have some arthritis and other such problems, but he happily stayed still when told to and also licked Yuri and Viktor's faces affectionately.

At one point Phichit's hamsters were crawling around on him when they were taking photos with him, resulting in some rather unique and funny snapshots, especially when one of them wound up burying himself comfortably into Yuri's hair.  
  
After food was served, Viktor and Yuri were back out on the ice together to perform their first skate in lieu of dance together as married men. They both had chosen songs to perform to, to express their love for one another and practiced them together in the months leading up to the wedding. Viktor chose to skate to "Burnin' Love" with him, performed by Wynnona Judd, and Yuri chose "You Raise Me Up" performed by Lena Park; Yuri's selection being the English version of an opening song from the anime "Romeo x Juliet".  
  
Everyone else who wanted to skate did so, some in pairs, as the night went on, and around the rink there were spaces to dance as well for those who didn't skate. Towards the end of the night, Yuri and Viktor were the only ones left at the rink. It was nearing midnight, and for a time they sat side-by-side on a bench, holding hands and leaning against one another's shoulders. Makkachin and Victor were cuddled up to one another as well, resting for a while. "This has been the happiest day of my life, Yuri... I truly mean it."  
  
Yuri smiled softly, nuzzling a little closer to his neck now. "You're going to call me your wife from now on, aren't you Vicchan?"  
  
"Of course, why wouldn't I? My darling, treasured wife." Viktor replied, kissing the top of his head.  
  
Yuri chuckled softly but smiled, gently rubbing his fingers over Viktor's hand. "Well... now that we're alone, your darling wife would like to show you something."  
  
"Oh really?" Viktor smirked playfully. "It can't wait till the honeymoon?"  
  
"Get your mind out of the gutter, old man." Yuri scolded him, lifting his hand up and gently smacked his forehead.  
  
" _Oww_... my wife is already committing spousal abuse..." Viktor pouted, winding his arms around Yuri and cuddling into his hair. Even when his hair was sweaty, it smelled so pleasant to him.  
  
Yuri laughed a little more again and sighed, managing to slip out of Viktor's hold after a little while. "Come on. I want to perform for you one last time before the night is over." he said with a warm smile, slipping his glasses off and handed them over to Viktor so he could hold onto them for the time being.  
  
Viktor couldn't help but smile a little, his eyes none too discreetly staring at Yuri's ass as he made his way back out onto the ice. "Aren't we full of surprises?" he mused, watching as the glittery white fabric around Yuri's waist fluttered around and hid his wife's rear from him at times.  
  
"What can I say?" Yuri began with a smile, setting the music he wanted to play. "You are how I can express my inner Eros."  
  
Soon, the very familiar and sensual song began and Yuri began to move to it as if he were able to perform it blindfolded. Which he very well could. As he did every time he performed it, he gave Viktor a wink at that certain moment before he continued. To Viktor's surprise, as he watched Yuri he saw that the routine had changed some but still felt very... Yuri. It oozed the Eros that he expressed for Viktor every time he skated to it, and this time it felt more intense. At times he could see that Yuri had his eyes closed, which he rarely ever did when he skated, as he was too afraid of messing up, which only impressed him further.  
  
Yuri performed flawlessly, not missing or screwing up a single jump or spin, and when he was done and posed his usual pose, he was even facing Viktor. It only took a moment for the elder to jump onto his feet and start applauding, his eyes full of... some sort of love and desire he had never seen before. Yuri could only smile, gliding over to him and leaned in, giving the elder a kiss. When they parted, he leaned closer and whispered into Viktor's ear. _"Even after all of these years... you still bring out my Eros."_  
  
Viktor smiled, winding one of his arms around Yuri's waist. "You do the same to me, my darling." he responded with a smile.  
  
By the time they returned to the Katsuki Inn, it was just past midnight. They let Makkachin and Victor into their room so they could sleep before they went to go take a bath together, enjoying their time alone in the hot springs before they went to sleep for the night.  
  
The next day, after having a good breakfast with their families and friends, they left for their honeymoon. They left Makkachin and Victor with Yuri's parents, so they wouldn't get sick from traveling too much.  
  
Together, they traveled around America and Canada, going to various places and enjoying the sights. Going to ice rinks, putting on surprise performances, and enjoying romantic meals and alone time in their hotel room. Their honeymoon, Christmas and Viktor's thirtieth birthday all in one was a memorable trip. For their last few days, they spent them in New York City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a change in the year where Yuri screwed up in the Grand Prix Final to fit the story line better. Victor (or Vicchan) isn't what caused him to break under pressure, and him and Viktor have already had a long-standing relationship so that while Yuri getting drunk at the after party still happened, it wasn't the main focus of what happened and how Viktor helped him through it.
> 
> As for the songs they skated to, the version of "Burnin' Love" that Viktor chose is the one from Lilo & Stitch. I'm a die-hard fan of Lilo & Stitch so it's my favorite version. XD And the English version of "Inori"/"You Raise Me Up" from "Romeo x Juliet" is my favorite version of the song as well. I like the Japanese one too, but I for some reason am more partial to the English one. ^^''' Which virtually no one seems to like over the Japanese.
> 
> Anyways, I'm looking forward to sharing the next two chapters with you guys. :3 They're a bit heart-breaking, but... that's why I loved writing them so much. They're emotional and, I hope, also beautiful.
> 
> Thanks so much for reading and leaving kudos so far, it means a lot to me! I'm not sure when I'll post the next chapter yet, but we'll see. I'll see you next time! <3
> 
> PS: I recently started writing another Yuri On Ice fanfic. I hope if you like this then you'll like the fanfic I hope to start posting soon as well!


	7. Yuri and Viktor: Married Life - Twenty-Six and Thirty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After their honeymoon, Yuri and Viktor receive unexpected but wondrous news. As they prepare for the changes this may bring, tragedy unfolds and leaves them devastated. With the support of their family, as well as Yakov and Lilia, they are able to overcome and do their best to heal despite the heartache the unfortunate circumstances bring about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Break out the tissues. Fair warning.
> 
> This chapter also brings along some changes to the storyline of the anime, mainly because Yurio isn't present yet. Such as the last episode, where Yurio wins the Grand Prix Final, instead Yuri won here. I think that about covers it for now though.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter. It made me tear up a lot when I proofreading it again... T.T

After their honeymoon ended, they went back to Japan to spend some time at the Inn while the house they purchased in St. Petersburg was getting ready for them to move into. A few weeks later they were in Russia, moving in with the dogs, and getting settled in. Viktor had his hair cut not long after as well, going back to sporting a short hairdo for a while now.  
  
When May came around it was time to celebrate Avi's sixth birthday, so Yuri's parents came to visit their house for the first time and stayed as their guests. Yuri was glad to see his parents again, saying as it was a little difficult to part with them for such long periods of time, and to his surprise he seemed rather drowsy around the time they arrived for their visit.  
  
However, they couldn't help but notice that Yuri seemed to be acting a little strange. Even Viktor had noticed; he and Yuri had gained a little weight during their honeymoon but had gone back to exercising and practicing more regularly now. Yet Yuri seemed to still have a little weight he couldn't seem to lose, which confused them both quite a bit. Despite his best efforts he couldn't seem to shake it.  
  
One night, Yuri had just served dinner to Viktor and his parents, having made them katsudon. After just half of his first serving Yuri's face grew rather flush and he placed his chopsticks down. _"Nnh... I don't feel so well..."_ he muttered, placing a hand on his stomach and bent over a bit.  
  
Viktor suddenly stopped eating and his eyes widened with worry at the sight of Yuri in such a state. He reached out, feeling his forehead and found he was a little warm. "Darling, are you alright? You haven't seemed quite like yourself the last few days..." Kiku said, his brow knit with worry.  
  
"You feel warm... is something wrong? Are you getting sick?" Viktor asked.  
  
"I..." Yuri suddenly felt a rush of bile in the back of his throat, eyes widening a little and he placed a hand over his mouth. _"I think I'm gonna be sick."_ he muttered through his fingers before he rushed to stand up, nearly knocking over his chair in the process and ran down the hallway to the bathroom.  
  
**_"Yuri!"_** Viktor abandoned his food without a second thought, going after him and knelt down beside him when Yuri bent over the toilet, throwing up into it with a sickly moan. His gaze softened, gently rubbing his back to help him through it. "I'm sorry... maybe we've been pushing too hard during practice. I'm sorry if you've felt overworked because of me..." Yuri's breathing was a bit labored as he rode the waves of nausea, retching a few more times before it stopped. Viktor was even more worried now, picking him up and let his head rest on his shoulder. "I'm calling a doctor... let's get you to bed."  
  
About forty-five minutes later, a doctor came to examine Yuri. Kiku stayed in the bedroom with his son while Viktor and Yao waited downstairs to hear any news. Yao sat on the couch while Viktor paced with his hands behind his back. Much like the night Avi was born he held as much worry for his wife; Yuri had been sick before but he hadn't seen him that bad.  
  
However long the wait was Viktor wasn't sure, but Kiku came downstairs to get them. When Viktor saw Yuri sitting up in bed, leaning against the pillows, he went right over and sat beside him with a worried look on his face. "Yuri, my Yuu-chan... what's wrong? Are you feeling alright?"  
  
Yuri smiled softly, looking up at him gently now and nodded. "I'm alright... it isn't anything serious."  
  
"That's a relief..." Viktor said with a sigh. "What is it, some sort of virus?"  
  
"Well... I wouldn't say virus." the doctor said.  
  
Viktor blinked, a little confused. "What do you mean?..."  
  
"Vicchan..." Yuri grasped Viktor's hand in his, placing it over his stomach. "We're going to have a baby."  
  
Viktor's ocean blue eyes widened and his breath choked in his throat. Suddenly he could feel it; the small growth to Yuri's stomach didn't feel completely soft as it usually did when the younger gained weight. He gently cupped his stomach and stroked it softly with his hand and smiled. _"Really?... Are you serious?..."_ he asked, his voice filled to the brim with excitement and pride.  
  
Yuri nodded with happy tears in his eyes and smiled. "Yes."  
  
Worry melted away from Viktor's expression and he suddenly wrapped his arms around his shoulders tightly. "Oh Yuri, this is so wonderful! I'm going to be a papa, I can't believe this!" He coddled and kissed Yuri sweetly, not wanting to let him go.  
  
In the weeks that followed there was a flurry of doctor's appointments to determine how far along Yuri was, trips to the bookstore for books on pregnancy and babies, and trying different prenatal vitamins to see which ones helped the most. Viktor started diligently cooking things Yuri was craving, finding quite odd he had an aversion to pork and the like. Yuri was instead craving lots of red meat, lobster and vegetables. Almost once a day he or Viktor made stir-fry to sate a craving, along with strawberries smothered in peanut butter.  
  
Despite Viktor's worries, the doctor even said it was fine for Yuri to keep practicing figure skating for a while. However when Yuri would hit the 20-week mark he'd need to stop practicing because by then his stomach would be much bigger and his center of gravity would be affected, increasing risk of miscarriage.  
  
Every night as they watched the news and Yuri read one of his books, Viktor rested his head on his lap and kissed and rubbed his stomach that was already showing a little bit. Yuri would smile as Viktor gave his growing baby bump such sweet attention, petting his soft hair as he did.  
  
When July came along, Yuri was eleven weeks in and they were soon going to announce their news to the rest of their families. So far only their parents knew, Viktor being a little worried about telling them, given how difficult it had been for his sister to stay pregnant when Avi was conceived. Yuri understood and knew that around twelve weeks was when the risk of miscarriage was much smaller.  
  
It was a week before Francis' birthday and Viktor and Yuri were practicing at their usual rink, Yakov there to supervise and coach as usual. Lilia was there as well, helping to make sure Yuri didn't strain himself, and despite how Yuri didn't seem to be feeling well he insisted he stay and train for a little while. In the last few days he'd barely been able to get out of bed so he wanted to get some exercise while he still could. Viktor had an uneasy feeling in his gut that he tried to push down, thinking it was just his mind worrying too much for Yuri because of how hard pregnancy had been on Nathasha.  
  
Yuri's cheeks were flushed red after just twenty minutes, stopping along the edge of the rink, holding himself upright and slowly lowered to his knees. _"Ngh... I... I don't feel so good..."_ he muttered, barely speaking loud enough for Yakov and Lilia to hear him.  
  
Worriedly, the woman reached out and her hand met his forehead. _"Viktor, we're done for the day! We need to get Yuri to the hospital!..."_ Her voice sounded faint and distant, echoing in Yuri's ears.  
  
In an instant, Viktor snapped out of his concentration and the moment he saw Yuri he sped over quicker then he ever had in his entire life. _"Yuri?... Yuri can you hear me?!"_ he called, gathering the younger into his arms. When his hand brushed the bottom of his pants he gasped, slowly lifting it up and saw blood. _"No... Bozhe moy, **no!! Yakov call the hospital!!** "_  
  
One moment Yuri recalled seeing spots of blood against the ice and someone wrapping him in their coat, the next he was slowly cracking his eyes open and blearily staring up at the ceiling of a hospital room. His vision was blurry without his glasses, and from the blood he had lost. Yuri was barely conscious enough to register the doctors around him, hear what they were saying, or even know what was going on.  
  
Out in the waiting room down the hallway Viktor was pacing around worriedly with Yuri's blood staining his clothes, too concerned to sit down or even realize just how crazy he looked to anyone else who was there waiting with them. Yakov and Lilia stayed with him, never having seen their prodigy so distraught before.  
  
Twenty minutes later, a doctor came out and Viktor inwardly thought it would put an end to his misery to hear whatever had happened even if it was bad news. He was sorely mistaken. When the man in the pristine white lab coat laid his hand on his shoulder and looked him solemnly in the eye, he could feel his heart already breaking. "I'm sorry. The baby didn't make it. He lost too much blood... we performed an ultra-sound after the blood transfusion, but there wasn't a heartbeat."  
  
Viktor could feel the lump in his throat, thick and hard, wishing with all of his might for it to disappear... he swallowed and it didn't let up, and neither did the tears that started falling from his eyelids. "... Is... is Yuri alright?..." he managed to ask.  
  
"He's stable. We've given him a mild sedative and painkillers to help him rest for now... he might not wake up for a few hours."  
  
"Does he... _know what happened?..._ "  
  
The doctor shook his head. "He didn't respond when we tried talking to him. He might be in shock. You can come see him if you want."  
  
Viktor nodded mutely before the doctor left, and he was suddenly left standing there; staring at the floor, blue eyes blank and void of any emotion. The world around him was swirling around and crumbling beneath his feet. His existence felt shattered.  
  
"Vitya," Suddenly, those thick strong arms of his long-time coach and mentor gave him a squeeze. "I'm sorry... truly, I am. I never had a chance to have a child... I can't imagine the pain you must be feeling. You both wanted this so much..."  
  
"Da," Slender arms joined Yakov's, holding Viktor gently yet firmly as well. "If you need anything, just say the word."  
  
Viktor's jaw shook just a little, taking a shaky breath through his nose and nodded. _"Spasibo... spasibo, you both..."_ he replied a bit weakly.  
  
When they let him go a few moments later, Yakov gently pat his back a few times. "Go on, go be with your wife, Vitya."  
  
Viktor nodded mutely again before he went down the hall to Yuri's room. When he walked in and saw him hooked up to a few machines his heart broke again; in the corner of his eye he saw the clothes Yuri had been brought in wearing, stained with blood and he took them and put them out of sight before he sat down. Taking Yuri's pale, weakened hand in his he gave it strong but gentle squeezes, bowing his head down.  
  
Only after he drowned out all of the noise from the world around them did his shoulders begin to quake. Jaw and teeth clenched, breathing shakily through his nose and soon he started sobbing. It was his fault; it was all his fault. Worrying about Yuri so much because of Nathasha's struggles getting pregnant. He'd made it eleven weeks without a day as bad as this one, and yet they still lost their precious child. They had nicknamed Yuri's growing belly "pork cutlet bowl", and now their baby was gone.  
  
_"I'm sorry... Yuri..."_ he uttered brokenly, kissing his hand gently.  
  
When Yuri woke up he was more coherent but a little confused. He didn't remember much of their training earlier that day; he remembered feeling a little under the weather, but no more then usual, and didn't remember collapsing in pain. When he saw Viktor looking at him so worriedly and saw the blood on his shirt, he felt a pang of soreness in his abdomen. He knew what happened before Viktor could even tell him. Viktor gathered him carefully in his arms and held him in his lap, sitting on the hospital bed with him, and they both cried.  
  
In the days that followed the doctors kept Yuri at the hospital for further testing, and so he could rest properly after losing as much blood as he had. When the doctor came to talk to them about the results of the tests, they listened in silence as he explained what some of their findings entailed. Despite how Yuri was in good physical shape, his womb was an 'inhospitable environment'; meaning that they could conceive again, but there was stress on his body that would make it difficult to carry a baby fully to term.  
  
Yuri was readily able to express his concerns about how figure skating might have been detrimental to his physical health while pregnant, but the doctor assured him it didn't have much to do with it. "There's a few things you can do to help increase your odds to conceive, and to help stay healthy so it'll be easier to carry to term. It might not be easy and there might be a struggle, there's no promise it will happen quickly. It could take a few months, it could take a few years. But if you keep trying it should happen."  
  
They still felt a little heartbroken, almost unable to believe that it could happen again, but when they left the hospital they had already decided not to put too much pressure on getting pregnant right away again. Along with that, the doctor had given Yuri instructions not to have sex for two weeks, among a few other things. Viktor was going to follow the instructions to a T, not wanting to let Yuri out of his sight when he needed him the most.  
  
When they got home, Yuri took a warm shower before he laid down in bed beside Viktor. He buried his face in the Russian's chest, falling into a deep sleep now that he could be in Viktor's arms. The elder held him firmly but gently, nuzzling into Yuri's soft hair affectionately, just holding his precious wife and after a while he drifted off into a light slumber.  
  
The next day, Viktor put away the baby and pregnancy books so Yuri didn't have to look at them. They didn't speak much that day, just staying close and holding one another, and had an uneventful day until a package arrived from Yuri's mother. He didn't even open it, instead him and Viktor went into the kitchen so they could call them in Japan.  
  
**_"Oh Yuri, good to hear from you sweetheart! How are you feeling?"_**  
  
As soon as Yuri heard his mother's voice, he felt even more guilty. He and Viktor hadn't told anyone about the miscarriage yet, having wanted to deal with it themselves when he was in the hospital so they didn't have to worry about telling everyone until he was feeling a little better. Yuri took a deep breath to calm himself down before he could reply. "Mama... we have some news."  
  
Kiku could sense something was wrong in a heartbeat; in that instant he shut off the sink where he was scrubbing dishes and dried his hands so that they had his full attention. _**"Is something wrong, darling?..."**_  
  
Yuri took another deep breath, holding Viktor's hand, slowly exhaling. "I... collapsed during training a few days ago. I spent a few days in the hospital... we... _we lost the baby..._ "  
  
There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone where they couldn't hear anything from Kiku. A few, long moments passed before a soft, choking breath was heard; tears filled Yuri's eyes for the umpteenth time as he could only imagine how they were doing the same to his mother now. If anybody understood the pain he was feeling, he knew very well it was Kiku. **_"Yuri... Viktor... I'm so sorry... truly, I am... I..."_** He took a shaky breath through his nose, sniffling a little as he wiped tears from his eyes. **_"Is there anything I can do?..."_**  
  
Yuri sniffled a little, taking a look over at Viktor before he asked, "Would you mind at all if we came to visit in a few weeks?... We want a little time to get away..."  
  
_**"Of course, you are always welcome. No questions asked."**_ Kiku replied in as firm a voice he could manage. _**"And... well I don't want to upset you, but your father and I sent you a few things in the mail. They're not baby-related, per se, I just... made some pillows to help you feel more comfortable. You can just bring them back if you want."**_  
  
It was oddly a relief to hear that the package wasn't meant for the baby, in fact it made Yuri feel a little better. "No Mama, that's okay... I really appreciate it." he said with a soft smile.  
  
Kiku sighed softly. **_"Gosh, there's your father again... I'm sorry I have to go, but you can call any time alright sweetie? We're always here for you... and, I'll tell him what happened, if you don't want to."_**  
  
"Arigatou, Mama... that'd be a little easier on us." Yuri replied softly.  
  
_**"Alright, sweetheart..."**_ Kiku paused, needing to take a moment. _**"I love you, Yuri. I love you both very much."**_  
  
"I love you too, Mama..."  
  
When they hung up, Yuri leaned his head against Viktor's shoulder with a sigh. It had only been a day since he came home from the hospital, but he already felt exhausted. He felt strange, suddenly going from being pregnant to not being pregnant anymore. The hormones were settling down but his body felt empty. "It's alright, Yuri," Viktor said softly, tucking his head beneath his chin and rocked him in his arms. "Everything happened so fast... I'm still reeling from it all." Yuri breathed deeply and sighed, closing his eyes and just relaxed in his husband's arms. "Now then... it's almost lunchtime. Why don't I make us something to eat? You name it, I'll make it."  
  
Yuri nodded slightly, thinking for a moment. "... I think I'd like some pork piroshkis." he replied. "I haven't had pork in weeks..."  
  
Viktor nodded and kissed his forehead. "Then that's what I'll make." he said.  
  
While Viktor got to work making their lunch in the kitchen, Yuri went into the living room where Makkachin and Victor were both asleep in the same doggie bed as usual. They both were quite old and their health wasn't the best, but they were still hanging in there. As much as him and Viktor loved them, they knew that they wouldn't live for much longer. A few months, at the most. So they had them bred with females of their breeds, and each of them produced a litter of two. In six weeks they would have two full poodle and two toy poodle puppies to bring home and bring them more love and joy. With wistful eyes Yuri looked up from the dogs to the pictures on the walls; quite a few of him and Viktor throughout the years, and of course their wedding portrait. He looked fondly at a few of his favorites; the year after Viktor had coached him he returned to competing, and to everyone's astonishment he lost to Yuri in the Grand Prix Final, making it two years in a row that Yuri had won gold and beaten Viktor's records.  
  
As they had stood side-by-side on the podium, flowers and cheers all around, Viktor took his hand and called his name. When Yuri turned to look at him, a silver medal draped around his neck, the man smiled warmly and dropped down onto one knee. The moment he pulled the ring out from his pocket, Yuri's eyes went wide and he gasped. A deafening cheer erupted from the stands, and he just barely heard Viktor ask, _"Yuri Katsuki, will you marry me?"_  
  
Tears were pouring down his cheeks, and the corners of his lips pulled into a smile so big it almost hurt his face. Yuri was barely able to utter a shaky, _"Yes..."_ before he flung his arms around Viktor's neck and kissed him, something they so rarely did in front of cameras. There were cheers and tears galore around them, from the crowd, from the other skaters, their friends, their family...  
  
When the kiss broke and Viktor slipped the ring onto his finger, he pressed their foreheads lightly together as he so often did. _"I love you, Yuri."_ he whispered.  
  
_"I love you too, Viktor..."_ Yuri smiled, his cheeks flushing a little more then they already were when Viktor leaned down and kissed his hand. Out of all of the photos from that day, that was the one that wound up being the most popular with their fans, especially the "shippers" that called them the Romeo and Juliet of the figure skating world; a metaphor they didn't really care for, as Romeo and Juliet died, but they didn't mind it all that much. When he picked his head back up, he held Yuri's hand up in the air with his and they both smiled and waved to the crowd.  
  
Every time Yuri thought back to that moment, he could recall all of the emotions very clearly. It was as vivid in his mind every day as it was the moment it all happened. He smiled, slowly walking along the walls as he looked at their photos. When he saw one on the mantle it made him stop and stare at it; the first photo they took together, when Yuri was just a baby. It was one of Viktor's absolute favorites, and they had many photos like it hanging on the walls or sitting on a shelf from their many reunions after being apart for long periods of time.  
  
He loved every single memory he had with Viktor; they were all so precious... and despite all of the pain they had been through in the last few days, they were making him feel better. With those thoughts in his mind his eyes landed on the box from his parents and he decided to open it. When he took out the packing material on top and saw what was in there he smiled, picking up the pillow that was shaped like an onigiri and hugged it, squeezing the soft material in his arms and buried his face in it. Inhaling, he could smell what his parents' home smelled like. He could never quite identify just what it was, but every place had it's own scent and the way the inn smelled was always so soothing and made him feel right at home. If he wasn't mistaken, he also could smell a little bit of katsudon.  
  
When Viktor was done cooking he came out of the kitchen with a white and blue striped apron over his clothes. "Yuri, lunch is ready." Yuri hummed softly from where he sat on the couch with the pillows his mother made, sitting up straight and adjusted his glasses a little, still holding the onigiri pillow close to his chest. At the sight of Yuri like that with his hair slightly messy Viktor smiled, going over to him and leaned over the back of the couch to kiss his cheek and wrapped his arms around him. "Sorry... did I wake you?"  
  
"No, I wasn't sleeping... I was just relaxing for a little while..." Yuri replied with a soft shake of his head. As the smell of the pork piroshkis hit his nose he smiled a little, glad that the scent wasn't nauseating him any longer. At times the smell of pork was too much for him to handle when he was pregnant and he missed it. He turned his head enough to kiss Viktor's cheek in return now. "It smells so good... thank you for making it."  
  
"Of course," Viktor replied with one of his usual, tender smiles. "Anything for you, my precious treasure."  
  


* * *

  
  
  
At the birthday party for Francis, Viktor's family expressed their condolences for the miscarriage. Nathasha in particular took the time to give them each hugs when they needed them, and to talk with them about struggling with infertility. Avi was a bit confused whenever he heard the adults suddenly talking so seriously or if they looked sad; in particular he was sure to give Yuri a hug whenever he seemed upset. Viktor and Nathasha spoke in private a few times, embracing each other quite a few times. She could feel her brother's heartbreak because she had been through it herself.  
  
Yuri tried not to dwell too much on what happened, returning to practice a month after the miscarriage passed them by, at Yakov and Lilia's insistence that he take a break for his own mental and physical health. When he saw Yakov again at the rink for the first time he blinked, suddenly realizing that when he had collapsed and was covered in someone's coat it had been his. It was something the man did when one of his charges proved to be sick or hurt; the fabric was heavy and warm, very distinctive, and it hit him that Yakov had covered him without a second thought even when he was bleeding.  
  
When he didn't know what to say, the larger man coughed into his hand and tried to come up with something, at Lilia's insistence. The woman sighed, but to both of their surprise Yuri didn't say anything and instead went right up to the man and wrapped his arms around him in a tight embrace, his face buried against his chest. Yakov hesitated for only a moment before he returned the gesture, feeling the Japanese boy trembling just slightly against his larger build. _"... Arigatou, Yakov-sensei..."_ he mumbled against that thick, slightly scratchy fabric.  
  
The man held back a smile, but he nodded slightly, holding the smaller boy a bit tighter now. "Don't mention it, Yuri."  
  
To Lilia's surprise Yuri hugged her when him and Yakov broke off, doing her best to comfort him when suddenly he started shaking again and tears seeped through the fabric of her jacket. Before he knew it, Viktor had come up behind them and held Yuri carefully and comforting. Hesitating a moment, Yakov wound his arms around the bunch as well. He wouldn't admit it, but as his two students started to cry, along with his ex-wife, Yakov felt a few stray tears fall from his eyes. Having seen them go through such pain and heartbreak hurt him a bit as well, given how long he had known and trained Viktor, and how much Yuri meant to the Russian boy and having gotten to know him so well over the years. To Viktor and Yuri, they were their own little family with their coaches. They were both lucky enough to have their own parents, along with their surrogate family as well.  
  
With all of the love and support they had in their lives, they knew that even the darkest of times would be easier to go through. Little did they know just how true that would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the circumstances of Yuri's miscarriage are a little overly dramatic, and it's rarely anything like this in real life, but it's a bit exaggerated for the sake of storytelling.
> 
> The next chapter is the last chapter I have finished writing and it's VERY long so I'm going to hold off on posting it for a while until I can finish a few more. I hit a roadblock with the one I'm working on so I think it's time to start over from scratch, get a whole fresh start. And the next chapter is one I REALLY wanna post because it's the point of the story I first thought up after figuring out who would be a part of who's family in a YOI/Hetalia crossover. It marks the appearance of a certain character you can probably guess. XD
> 
> Anyways, thank you all so much for helping me reach over 1000 views! It means a lot to me. Thank you for continuing to read as well. <3


	8. Yuri and Viktor: Married Life - Twenty-Seven and Thirty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During their annual visit to the Katsuki Inn, Viktor and Yuri experience another painful and emotional miscarriage. Surrounded by their family helps them to cope, and also provides some insight as to why they are experiencing troubles with fertility.
> 
> After Heracles and Nathasha welcome a baby girl into their family through adoption, shortly after Viktor and Yuri dive head-first into the process of becoming foster parents to fulfill their dream of having a child. Then one day, they receive the call they've been waiting for: their application has been approved, and there is a little boy waiting for them. Soon enough, their family begins to grow and they welcome him into their home with open arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes some more heartbreak... and then the point in the story that was my initial idea for this fic. :3
> 
> It's pretty emotional and quite long, so I hope this makes up for such a long wait between updates! ToT The chapter that comes next is very short and I'm still working on the one that comes after it. Trying to figure out a way to make the story flow well without too much filler is a bit hard... just gotta do some more trial and error writing and see what I can do.
> 
> So now that I'm done with work for the month, I thought it would be nice to update since it's Christmas Eve already! Happy Holidays to everyone, and I hope you enjoy this next part. <3
> 
> (I was going to link this at the end of the chapter, but since it's so long here's the song I used for the skating sequence that appears early on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQE_OFNeKto )
> 
> Warning: tissues may be needed. I know I've needed them rereading and proofreading this.

* * *

  
  
  
  
It was now New Year's Day, and both of their families, along with Yakov and Lilia, were at the Katsuki Inn to celebrate together. Just the day before on New Year's Eve, they announced that they were expecting a baby once more. They had just passed the twelve week mark and things were looking good so far.  
  
In the last few months, Victor passed away and then the day after Christmas and Viktor's birthday, so did Makkachin. They had the two dogs, along with their shared doggie bed, cremated together and rested their ashes in an urn on their mantle with a photo of the two of them side-by-side on the front of it. In August just a few months before they died, their puppies came home and were trained and well-behaved already. Having the puppies in the house helped them feel better after the miscarriage, and they were helping them grieve for Makkachin and Victor. Saying as they were their puppies as well made it even more special, that their legacy was going on and perhaps they'd share a few of the same qualities as their parents.  
  
The two toy poodles were a boy and a girl they named Mochi and Momo, and the two standard poodles were both boys they named Munchkin and Mocha. The puppies were all dressed in sweaters to keep warm in the winter air as Viktor and Yuri took them for a stroll around the neighborhood that morning.  
  
After lunch, Viktor and Avi went to Ice Castle Hasetsu with Yakov and Lilia so he could have some skating and coaching lessons. Yuri was feeling a little unwell so he decided to stay put and take a short soak in the hot spring before lying down for some rest. Munchkin and Mocha accompanied Viktor while Mochi and Momo stayed behind, and after about twenty minutes on the ice at the rink the puppies started acting uneasy. Pacing around and barking; Lilia took them outside to see if they needed to go to the bathroom, nothing doing. Just when Viktor was thinking it might be the cold, Yakov's phone rang and when he answered it his questions were answered: Yuri passed out in the hot spring and started bleeding when Kiku took him inside. A doctor was on his way over to check on Yuri and in a flash, before he knew it Viktor was already running back to the inn with Munchkin and Mocha racing on ahead of him. Yakov and Lilia were able to stay a bit calm, bringing Avi along not long after Viktor left because the boy could tell something was happening.  
  
When Viktor arrived he barely remembered to kick off his shoes, the puppies barking and running off upstairs already while he could hear the other two puppies barking upstairs as well.  
  
With his hair disheveled and scarf messily unwound around his neck, Viktor was met by both of their parents standing in the hallway outside of his and Yuri's room; they didn't need to even speak for him to know that things didn't look good. The puppies all seemed restless, so Viktor had to snap out of it for long enough to kneel down and speak to them in Russian, telling them to calm down and stay quiet for now.  
  
It didn't take long for the doctor to come out of the room and as soon as he did, Viktor stepped up with worry in his eyes. "What happened? Is Yuri alright?"  
  
The doctor let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, the baby is gone..."  
  
Viktor's jaw clenched, feeling his shoulders wanting to shake. "... What... what happened?..."  
  
"Yuri's immune system seems to be compromised by a mild flu virus, and unfortunately the baby wasn't strong enough to survive. He's stable, and he didn't lose much blood. Everything simply... expelled itself from the womb this time."  
  
Viktor could swear he heard the rushing sound of a roaring waterfall drowning out the sounds of the world around him; if his parents or Yuri's parents were saying anything he didn't hear them. _"Is he... alright?... Is he awake?..."_ Viktor asked, unsure of what else to say.  
  
"He's awake, I gave him something to help with the pain and help him relax. I'll prescribe something to help with the flu as well."  
  
Viktor wasn't quite sure if he nodded or not, but a moment later he blinking when he felt his mother's hand on his shoulder. "Go on and see him, we'll be downstairs Vitya." Alfred said in a tone as firm and comforting as he could manage. Viktor didn't even protest, merely nodded and wasn't sure what to say, if anything at all, hoping they would understand and so he slid the door open and closed it behind himself.  
  
The lights were dimmed down and Yuri lay still in the center of the bed, his glasses off to the side and his eyes closed. The elder wasn't sure if he heard him, so he took off his coat and scarf, throwing them carelessly to the floor for now and climbed right onto the bed beside him, gently taking one of his hands and held it softly. A moment later, Yuri sniffled and his jaw shook, tears falling from behind his eyelids. Viktor's brow knit in worry and he immediately laid down beside Yuri, wrapping his arms around him and stroked his hair gently.  
  
_"I'm sorry... I'm sorry Viktor, I failed you again..."_ Yuri whispered shakily before burying his face in his husband's chest.  
  
Viktor felt his chest clench again now, holding Yuri tightly but carefully. "No... no Yuri, you didn't... it wasn't anyone's fault..." he told him firmly but quietly.  
  
_"Yes I did... my body failed me again and I failed you..."_  
  
Yuri's body began trembling and Viktor held him firmer now, gently shushing him and rubbed his back comfortingly. _"Sssh... ssh ssh ssh ssh ssh... just rest for now, Yuri... it'll be alright... everything will be alright..."_ he whispered gently, though a few tears were in Viktor's own eyes as well.  
  
The next few days passed by a bit drearily, but their families were there to help talk to them, and when they needed to stop thinking about it they would take their minds off of it as well. Viktor's head wasn't quite able to focus very well so Yakov and Lilia took over bringing Avi to the rink for skating lessons. Very much like his uncle and godfather he was proving to be rather skilled at figure skating, hoping to participate in competitions within the next few years. They were working on setting up more opportunities to train and practice when Avi would have the time after school in St. Petersburg. It felt surreal, training yet another skilled prodigy, let alone Viktor's own nephew, but they were happy to do something for the boy despite their ages.  
  
Quite a few times, Yuri and Viktor would have conversations with their parents, sometimes together and sometimes separately, about their trouble conceiving. During one talk Yuri was laying beside his mother with his head in his lap, and Kiku was stroking his hair gently as they sat on the porch overlooking their garden. Whenever he was upset as a child, this had made him feel better and Kiku had done this for him without needing to be asked.  
  
As Kiku softly ran his fingers over Yuri's naturally messy-looking black hair, he spoke of how hard it was for him to get and stay pregnant as well. His struggle started when he was in his early twenties, just after he and Yao were married. It took three years before the doctors told them having a child naturally would be next to impossible for them, and despite that he had two more miscarriages the following year. However they decided to stop seriously trying when they first met Heracles while traveling abroad for Yao's work. The moment they met the boy, it felt like fate. Like he was meant to be their son. Six months later, the adoption was finalized and they had their two year-old Greek son for good. Subsequently the same thing happened when they met Ming and Mei when they lived in China for three years.  
  
During all of that time, they suffered quite a few more miscarriages that broke their heart every time, but knowing they had three beautiful healthy children helped them through it all. They had been settled in Japan for a few years when they had discovered they were expecting Yuri; quite surprised that they didn't find out until Kiku was fifteen weeks along. There was no other way to describe it as anything other than a miracle, as they had never made it to twelve weeks before. Yuri existed, despite the world telling them that it wouldn't be able to happen, but the heartbreak of going through losing so many unborn children would always be with them. It was one of the worst experiences Kiku had ever gone through, and he knew how heartbreaking it was for Yuri and Viktor to go through this.  
  
Viktor was standing beside the doorway, listening to the conversation and felt his heart growing ever-heavier. He had known Kiku and Yao had trouble having biological children but didn't know just how hard it had been for them. It almost made him feel bad for feeling so distraught over this happening to them twice, but when he said that to his own mother, Alfred placed his hands on Viktor's shoulders and assured him that their pain was very real. He and Ivan then sat down to talk to Viktor, along with Nathasha and Heracles.  
  
The silver-haired man sighed, laying his head in one of his arms on the kotatsu. "I feel so stupid... we wanted these babies so badly. When we lost the first one I felt so guilty, because I was overly worried. Now it feels like I didn't worry enough. I don't know what to think..." His eyes slipped closed before he continued. "Yuri's taking it so hard this time... he thinks it's all his fault because of genetics. How hard it was for Kiku to even have him..."  
  
"Darling... there's no way you can know for certain." Ivan said gently.  
  
"Not according to Kiku... he found out some things about his biological mother several years ago." Viktor mumbled. "He learned she was very sick when she was pregnant with him, didn't even know it until she was quite far along already. She didn't know it or even think of it because she had been told she wouldn't ever be able to have children... so she put him up for adoption, found Kenichi and Kira, and a year after he was born she died."  
  
Alfred looked down into his lap with a sigh, reaching up for his glasses and slipped them off. "Viktor, there's something you should know. I know this is tough on you both, but... it might not be Yuri alone. It... it might be you."  
  
There was a long, silent moment that passed before Viktor even made a sound. _"... Eh?..."_ was all that came out, and he didn't move to sit up straight either.  
  
"You see... after your father and I had Nathasha, we tried right away to have another child." Alfred went on. "As did my parents... by the time your nana was pregnant with your Uncle Peter, Matthew and I were almost ten. They almost thought they wouldn't be able to have another child. And after a few years of us trying for another child, nothing happened. A few false positives, but nothing ever came of it. A week before we found out we were having you, I had been told it was highly unlikely that we would ever get pregnant again. But then before we knew it, there you were... you proved it wrong. It took a long time and a lot of heartache for us to be able to have you... it's no one's fault that it isn't happening. It's not Yuri's fault because of his mother, and... it's not your fault because of your father and I, or even your grandparents. Genetics may have something to do with it... but it's no one's fault alone. At the end of the day... you're both human."  
  
Slowly, Viktor lifted his head up and looked across the table at his mother. In his eyes, Alfred was the same strong young man he had been when Viktor was just a child; despite how his golden blonde hair had darkened and started graying over the years, hands appearing less firm and calloused, and wrinkles appearing on his face around his eyes. That moment crystallized in Viktor's eyes, that form of his mother shattering before his eyes, seeing that weak look on his face. Blue eyes that expressed the hurt he knew his son was going through at this very moment; knowing what it was like to want something so bad but to be unable to have it, despite his best efforts.  
  
_"Ma... I had no idea..."_ he found himself muttering quietly, his voice a bit shaky. For the thousandth time in the last few days there were tears in his eyes, soon trying to blink them away and shook his head, wiping at them with his hands after a moment.  
  
Alfred sighed softly, reaching across the table and placed his hand on Viktor's shoulder. "Don't give up, Viktor. Not yet. You're both still young... you have time to figure out what you want to do. If you want to keep trying to pursue along this path... or find another way."  
  
Viktor was silent, nodding after a short pause, and then he grasped his mother's hand in his hands. The same hand that stroked his hair, rubbed his back, wiped away his tears as a child. Always strong, firm and tan in his eyes despite all of the time that passed. _"Thank you, Mama..."_ he whispered, planting a kiss on the back of Alfred's hand.  


* * *

  
  
  
  
At the end of the week, when the wounds weren't quite so fresh, one afternoon they had two surprise visitors: Phichit and Minami. The two ran into each other on their way to the Katsuki Inn and arrived to see their friends together. Phichit was there to rent a room for two nights, having some time off and wanted to relax and spend some time with the two. Minami had come to give New Year's wishes to his friends, there to visit for the day, along with a New Year's cake for them that he, his mother and brother made and decorated together.  
  
When they were sitting down across from their friends, Minami set down the cake box on the kotatsu and Kiku went to prepare some tea for them. Viktor and Yuri were both feeling a bit better now, so having them there was a welcome distraction. Around the time they had finished their tea and first pieces of cake, the door to the inn opened and the sound of Avi's rushing footsteps met their ears, soon followed by the boy's voice calling out. **_"Uncle Vitya, Auntie Yuu-Yuu!"_**  
  
Viktor chuckled softly and cracked a smile, setting his tea cup down. **_"In here, dorogoy!"_** he called in return.  
  
The brunette boy ran in, his wavy shoulder-length hair fluttering a bit around his face and he gave them a big smile. "I was just training some more with Mr. Yakov and Miss Lilia. I wanna show you something! Can you please come watch me? Pretty pretty please?" he asked, starting at his godparents with the puppy dog eyes he knew they couldn't say no to.  
  
"Is that so?... Hm..." Viktor teased him a bit, not answering right away before he smiled and nodded, reaching out and mussed the boy's hair a bit. "Of course we will. What's this big surprise?"  
  
Avi giggled and soon smiled mischievously, putting his index finger to his lips. "It's a secret surprise!"  
  
"Alright, alright..." Viktor replied with a smile, pulling his hand away from his hair now. "Why don't you go get your parents and we'll meet you there."  
  
"Da!" he said with a nod before racing off, nearly bumping into Yakov as he passed by the man and Lilia. **_"Mama, Papa! I wanna show everyone something!"_**  
  
Viktor smiled a bit as they heard him shouting through the house excitedly, landing his gaze on the two coaches soon after. "So what's it you've been helping him with that's gotten him so excited?"  
  
"Just wait and see, I'm sure you will be pleasantly surprised." Lilia replied with a sly smile.  
  
"Avi certainly has gotten bigger since I last saw him... gosh I think that was at your wedding. He looks twice the size he was then!" Minami said with a giggle. "He's such a cute little thing though, I can't wait to have my own kid some day."  
  
Soon, just as Avi wanted everyone was at the ice rink to see what his big surprise was. Phichit and Minami tagged along as well, quite impressed with how skilled the young boy was already. While they waited for him to get started Avi was making sure he had the song he wanted to skate to ready, and once it was queued up he went to the middle of the rink to wait for the moment to start.  
  
As the music started up, he began with a few simple step sequences before it picked up a bit and he did a small spin. His feet moved fluidly as he went on, almost stumbling once from the fast pace he set but it didn't deter him. When the vocals came in their ears were graced with that of a duet sung by Ming and Mei, and when they heard **_"As we circled up with hope in our hands"_** Avi moved into a spread-eagle, leaning back with his hands cupped in the air together as he skated in a circle. Followed by a transition into a spin on his left foot, then a step sequence before he did a double-loop jump when **_"A thousand swings, we're never done dreaming"_** came along.  
  
When the crescendo came along he picked up the pace and started spinning quicker now with his arms spread out wide by his sides. A few glances to his face saw his eyes closed in concentration at times, accidentally stumbling a bit and almost fell over but he caught himself before he could. He managed to lower down into a squatting position, holding his arms to his chest before he went spread-eagle once more, reaching up into the air at **_"shall raise a brand new dawn"_**.  
  
Starting to look a bit out of breath, he slowed down as it was near the end and with his chin tilted upwards, he began to spin on his toes rather rapidly and after he slowed down, he posed as the song ended with one of his arms around himself and the other one held up in the air.  
  
After a pause, everyone started to clap for him and Minami, being Minami, cheered rather excitedly and enthusiastically. Viktor in particular felt pride swell in his chest and when Avi came over towards him, he hoisted the boy up into his arms. "That was _amazing_ , my little prodigy! You've been working very hard with Yakov and Lilia haven't you? I am _so proud of you!_ "  
  
Avi wrapped his arms around his uncle's neck and hugged him happily. "Thank you so much Uncle Vitya! I've been working really hard, I wanna be as good as you and Auntie Yuu-Yuu some day! Maybe I can break your world records."  
  
"The day that happens we'll be the proudest godparents in the world, right Yuri?" Viktor asked with a smile as he looked over at Yuri. The black-haired boy was lost in thought and silent, staring at his husband as he held their nephew securely in his arms. Viktor blinked a bit now, tilting his head to the side. "Yuri?"  
  
"Huh?" Brown eyes blinked, looking up towards Viktor's face now as Avi kissed his cheek sweetly. Even if Viktor was only his uncle he swore he could see the biological resemblance the two of them shared, and the sight made his chest flutter in a way it hadn't in a while. It fluttered the way it did both times he had found out he was pregnant, and he couldn't shake the feeling again now. Seeing Viktor holding their beloved godson made him realize just how much he wanted that for them both.  
  
"Uncle Vitya said I could break your world records some day! D'you think I can do it Auntie?" Avi asked excitedly with his eyes sparkling.  
  
Yuri smiled warmly and nodded, reaching over to gently brush a bit of the boy's sweaty hair from his face. "Of course you could. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it."  
  
"Like I always tell you dorogoy, you were born to make history." Viktor said to the brunette boy with a smile. "Nothing is impossible if you don't give up."  
  
"I won't never give up, I promise!" Avi said, holding out one of his pinkies. "I pinky promise!"  
  
That night, when everyone had turned in, Viktor headed into his and Yuri's room where the younger had been resting for two hours before him. He saw the moonlight peaking in through the window and he smiled at the sight of his lovely wife, slipping in beside him and started kissing his neck affectionately. A quiet groan came from Yuri's throat and he stirred a bit, slipping his eyes open as Viktor continued to nuzzle his neck from behind him. "Oh, I'm sorry Yuu-chan, I didn't mean to wake you..." the elder said softly.  
  
_"Nnh... it's fine... I was trying to wait up to talk to you, actually..."_ Yuri replied quietly.  
  
"Hm?... What for?..." Viktor asked, gently rubbing Yuri's side to help him relax a little again, knowing he'd needed rest lately to recover again.  
  
"... I had that feeling again..." Yuri said quietly. "The way it felt to see Avi perform like that... I felt so proud. Looking at you and him like that... it made me realize how much I want that to happen for us."  
  
Viktor breathed softly from his nose, gently laying his forehead against the back of Yuri's neck. "... Do you want to try again?... And keep trying this time?..."  
  
Yuri sighed softly, slipping his eyes closed. "... I don't quite know what I want yet..."  
  
"Were you thinking of our other options?" Viktor asked.  
  
"... I think we need to wait, for something... I don't know what, but... there has to be something out there for us. I just don't know what yet... I don't even know what I want quite yet either."  
  
Viktor nuzzled him gently. "Don't think about it right now... when it happens, it happens. And when it feels right... that when we'll know."  
  
Yuri cuddled back gently into his husband, feeling ready to drift back to sleep again soon. "... I know we will..."  
  
They fell asleep together, sleeping peacefully through the night. Yuri had odd dreams that night, they seemed vivid but unclear at the same time. He remembered one thing that stuck out: a little kid with blonde hair whose face he couldn't see. Giggling, chasing after them and picking them up, hugging them and smiling so wide his cheeks seemed to hurt in the dream. When he seemed to almost see their face, that's when he woke up. However disappointed he was he couldn't see them, and that it had just been a dream, he felt a bit elated and smiled.  
  
He and Viktor reluctantly pulled themselves out of bed, fixing their yukatas and went downstairs with their puppies to have breakfast. As they ate with both their parents and Viktor's grandparents, they were soon joined by Heracles and Nathasha. With a smile they sat down together after bidding them good morning. "We have some news we want to share." Heracles said.  
  
"Hm? Oh, what is it?" Kiku asked.  
  
"Well..." Nathasha started off. "We've been planning to have more children. Since having Avi was so difficult, we decided to look into other options. Surrogacy didn't feel right, but... we decided last year to start the adoption process."  
  
"We received a call just this morning from an orphanage in St. Petersburg." Heracles went on. "And... they have a two-week old baby girl waiting for us when we go home."  
  
"Oh, sweetheart... that's wonderful." Kiku said with a warm smile. "I'm so happy for you both."  
  
"So am I." Yao nodded with a smile. "We know how difficult it can be to conceive on your own, but I'm glad you two were able to figure out a way to expand your family."  
  
"Thank you Mama, Papa..." Heracles said and gave them a small bow. "We had talked about adopting quite a bit when we were planning on having kids... but we wanted to try for ourselves if we could. As hard it was to have Avi we were happy to come out of it all with our own baby to show for it... and now we hope we can make a difference in the lives of kids who don't have parents. Just like what you did for me, and for and Ming and Mei."  
  
Kiku smiled softly, giving a nod. "Any way it happens can be a struggle. I'm so honored that we were your inspiration, Hera-kun. I can't wait to be able to meet her."  
  
"What's her name? Does she have one yet?" Yao asked.  
  
"We've been discussing names, and we decided to name her Alice." Nathasha replied with a small smile. "Alice Marie Braginski-Katsuki, Ali for short."  
  
Viktor smiled softly. "Avi and Ali... sounds cute."  
  
Heracles noticed a far-off look in Yuri's eyes when he looked over to his brother, who had been silent through their discussion. Blinking, he leaned in his direction. "Yuri-kun? Are you alright?"  
  
Yuri snapped out of his thoughts, picking his head up. "Eh? Sorry, what was that Hera?..."  
  
"You spaced out, are you alright?" he asked gently. Suddenly it dawned on him that learning news like this might have made him feel a bit worse about what happened, but before he could say something Yuri spoke again.  
  
"Oh, oh yes! Yes of course, I'm fine... sorry, just a little caught off guard." Yuri replied, running a hand through his hair. "But I'm really happy for you two. I'm glad there's going to be another baby in the family."  
  
Heracles smiled. "Thank you, Yuri... and actually, Natty and I wanted to ask you and Viktor something."  
  
"Hm?" Viktor hummed. "What is it?"  
  
"We know you're already Avi's godparents, but, we were hoping you'd want to be Ali's as well." Nathasha told them.  
  
Yuri blinked in surprise. "R-really?... You mean it?"  
  
"Of course." Heracles said with a smile and a nod. "You two are so wonderful with Avi, and we hope that Ali will take a shining to you two as well. You're very special to us, it would mean a lot."  
  
They didn't even need to look at each other before coming up with their answer; Viktor smiled a bit widely and nodded, Yuri nodding as well and smiled gently. "Of course we will! It's an honor. We adore Avi, and we'll adore Ali as well." Viktor replied.  
  
"Hai, we'd love to." Yuri said in agreement.  
  
Heracles and Nathasha both smiled. "Thank you both, for all of your support. We're so happy." Nathasha said before they bowed their head to their respective siblings.  


* * *

  
  
  
  
When their vacation visiting Japan ended, Yuri continued to take it easy for a while at home. Focusing on taking care of the puppies while Viktor continued to train some more, despite the fact that they had been competing for a long time they were still going strong and didn't plan on retiring soon. They were often asked that during interviews after competitions, and it surprised quite a few people that they had no intentions of stopping despite Viktor's age. Passion and energy still flowed through them, and they were happy to keep going on.  
  
However, lately Yuri had felt a little less motivated. With two miscarriages, he felt like maybe his body needed a rest if they were possibly going to have a baby, so they were most likely taking a year off from competing while they figured everything out.  
  
When Viktor came home after practice one afternoon in early February, he found Yuri asleep on the couch with his tablet in one hand and his other arm around the onigiri pillow his mother had made him. He smiled at how adorable his wife looked when he was asleep, gently taking off his glasses and set them on the table before he took his tablet. Checking to see if it was still on he blinked when he saw what Yuri had been looking at; information about the orphanage they donated half of their winnings to when they won competitions. The same orphanage Alice had been adopted from.  
  
Sitting down by Yuri's feet, Viktor started going through the website and reading the information he could find. He then saw the online form to apply for adoption and blinked when he saw it had been bookmarked by Yuri. However, at the same time he smiled and looked at his wife as he slept. Leaning his head back he stared up at the ceiling in thought; he and Yuri not only donated to the orphanage but they also volunteered their time there when they could, teaching some of the kids how to ice skate. It had been about a year since they were able to do so, but were making plans already to hopefully be able to again soon.  
  
It had only been a little over a year since they were married, and after two miscarriages without having tried to get pregnant they were still heartbroken, especially when they had started trying for real again now. They had been to the doctor to test their fertility as well, finding out that having children would be a bit of a struggle. Yuri's body seemed rather unable to carry a baby to term unless he tried harder and even tried taking estrogen to help his womb get stronger. It seemed to work a bit slowly and it seemed to be helping, but because the problem was mostly on Yuri's end he felt like he was failing Viktor again before there was even a baby for them to talk about again.  
  
Viktor, on the other hand, had a slightly lower then average sperm count with a bit of a motility problem. Compared to Yuri he had it easy, however they had also tested, at Viktor's insistence, to see what it would be like if he carried their child. Long in short, Viktor's inner reproductive organs were far too small and proved to be unable to produce his own eggs, let alone be able to host a baby in his womb. They would prove to be a problem in the future so he already had a procedure scheduled to have them removed before they could do any possible damage. In turn, Yuri had a very low sperm count, not that it mattered when Viktor was unable to have a baby for them.  
  
With only a month since their second miscarriage they still had time to try to get pregnant again, but ever since Heracles and Nathasha had announced they were adopting Ali, Yuri had been acting a bit strangely. Like a switch had flipped in his head and he had that, "Aha!" moment where everything crystallized in place and he knew what he wanted to do. Now that Viktor had seen the adoption website, two and two were put together in his own head and he knew why. Before they were married, and even before they were engaged, they had talked about having kids when they were older. Yuri had expressed an interest in being able to adopt kids like his parents did, and have them biologically as well. However, they hadn't talked about it in quite some time. It all made sense in Viktor's head though and now he understood why Yuri had seemed so preoccupied. He knew what adoption meant to his family; Yuri and his siblings loved each other so strongly they didn't feel like they weren't blood related, and the same went with his parents. They were his role models when it came to having a family and Yuri wanted to have an open, loving family of his own like the one his parents had created for them all. Seeing Heracles doing the same had opened the door in Yuri's mind, and suddenly it just made sense.  
  
A tired groan came from Yuri's throat and he started to stir, catching Viktor's attention. He turned his attention to Yuri now as he slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly and holding the onigiri pillow to his chest. _"Mmh... Vicchan?... Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep..."_  
  
Viktor smiled softly at him and leaned over, pecking his cheek gently now. "It's alright, my darling... did you sleep well?"  
  
Yuri nodded. "Yes..." He then blinked slightly when he noticed Viktor was holding his tablet, looking at the website he'd been looking at and he blushed a bit. " _A-ah, I..._ "  
  
"Don't worry about it." Viktor replied, ruffling Yuri's hair a bit. "At least now I know what's been on your mind so much the last few weeks."  
  
Looking down a bit, Yuri's blush deepened slightly. "You're not mad for not talking to you about it?..."  
  
"Of course not. Why would I be?" Viktor replied as Yuri reached for his glasses, putting them back on. "You know... it actually makes sense when I think about it."  
  
"How so?..." Yuri asked.  
  
"Well... we did talk about it before we were engaged after all." Viktor responded, looking down at the tablet as he kept scrolling through the website. "Knowing this is how your family is together in the first place, and how we have our niece now." He looked back at Yuri, reaching out and held onto his hand gently. "Do you want to do this? I know it hasn't been long since we started really trying to have a baby, but... I can tell this means a lot to you, and I've been thinking about it too. If this is what you want, I want to give it a chance. It might take a while, maybe longer then the doctors said it would take for us to have a biological child, but if it's what you want to do, I am ready to try."  
  
Quiet fell around them, Yuri looking down into his lap. His arm around the onigiri pillow tightened a bit and he closed his eyes in thought. "... The night before Hera and Natty told us about Ali, I had a dream... a really vivid dream about a little kid. I don't know if it was a boy or a girl, but I can remember these light, beautiful blonde locks of hair and the sweetest little laugh... then when they told us they were adopting a baby, it just made me think that maybe that's how we're supposed to have a child. That maybe they're already out there, waiting for us... and we have to find them. When I woke up, I had the same feeling I did when we found out I was pregnant both times. That maybe this is supposed to happen this way... so I was doing research and looking into what we'd need to do to make it all happen. I've been trying to think of a way to bring it up to you for a while but I just didn't know how... if you think we can do it, if it's how you want us to have a family, then... I want to try. I really, really want to try. I want to do what my parents did for my brother and my sisters, and what Hera and Natty are doing for Alice. I want that feeling again... I want to find our child. I feel like we're meant to do this."  
  
Small tears had formed in Viktor's eyes and he smiled while he listened to his wife. Giving his hand a small squeeze he nodded firmly. "Then let's do it. I know we can."  
  
Yuri slipped his eyes open and looked up at Viktor with a smile. "Thank you, Vicchan. I know we can do this together. I love you so much."  
  
Viktor leaned over, kissing him gently. "I love you too, my precious wife."  


* * *

  
  
  
  
The next few months went by in almost a blur. The adoption process was long and grueling; a redwood forest amount of paperwork was involved, along with home visits, interviews with the social workers, letters of recommendation... it was a flurry of things to get done all at once, Yuri had no idea how his parents went through it twice. Many nights they wound up with headaches; Yuri cried from the stress a few times, but every time he felt like he couldn't keep pushing through Viktor took him in is arms, held him tight, and reminded him that their child was out there waiting for them. They just needed to find them.  
  
It wasn't until August that they were contacted by a social worker at the orphanage, asking for them to come in that afternoon. Taking that as a good sign, they both excitedly dressed up nicely for the meeting. There was a mixture of happy butterflies and nervous bubbles in both of their stomachs, but Yuri felt better just knowing Viktor was there with him.  
  
When they arrived at the building, some of the children who were outside playing greeted them, having remembered who they were from the times they volunteered and brought them out on trips to the ice rink. One of the caretakers led them inside and up to the office area where they sat in the waiting room for a grueling twenty minutes while they waited for the social worker to finish her meeting with who was already in the room. It felt like every second ticked by ten times slower then usual, and when the door finally opened she stepped out. "Mr. Nikiforov, Mr. Katsuki-Nikiforov, would you come in?"  
  
Yuri felt a surge of nervousness trickle down his spine and he almost felt petrified. What if it was bad news? What if they didn't pass the inspections, and what if they were rejected? He didn't know if he could go through the heartbreak of trying to conceive and failing again...  
  
"It's alright, Yuu-chan," Viktor told him gently, holding his hand firmly and gave it a kiss. "We can do this."  
  
Yuri took a deep breath and let it out before he gave a tentative nod. Standing up, he and Viktor stepped into the woman's office and to their surprise, saw an old man sitting in there. She closed the door and gestured to the two empty seats a few feet away from where the man sat. "Please have a seat." Nodding, they did so and kept a hold on one another's hands as they did. "Thank you for coming down here today, I know it was a bit short notice."  
  
"Of course, it was no trouble at all." Viktor replied with a slight shake of his head. "What pray tell did you ask us here for?"  
  
She gestured her hand to the man. "This is Nikolai Plisetsky. He is a part-time foster parent to his grandson, as his health keeps him from being unable to fully care for him properly. He wanted to meet you two."  
  
Yuri let out a gasp and blinked, his eyes widening behind his glasses and feeling tears already gathering in them. "I... you mean, our application has been approved?..."  
  
"Yes." she answered with a nod and small smile. "We wanted you two to come down here to see if we can make things work out."  
  
Nikolai looked over at the two with a slight smile, giving them a small nod. "Privet, it is nice to meet you both." He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out his wallet and opened it up to show the photo he had inside. Holding it out to them, he showed them the picture of a little boy with blonde hair. "This is my grandson."  
  
Yuri felt a cache in his throat and blinked. That dream, the blur of blonde hair on a little kid... was this it? However he managed to collect himself after a moment and looked over at Nikolai with a smile. "He's very beautiful."  
  
"Da, he is." Viktor said with a nod and a smile. "How old is he?"  
  
"He turned five in March." Nikolai replied with a bit of a proud smile on his face.  
  
Yuri knew the fondness in Nikolai's eyes all too well; it reminded him of the way Arthur doted over Viktor, and the way his parents did the same for him and his siblings. He glanced up at the Russian man before them. "I... hope this isn't too invasive, but... why is it you can't take care of him?..."  
  
"Nyet, is not invasive..." Nikolai replied with a small shake of his head, putting his wallet away. "You see, I am his only relative left. My wife and children have all passed away, and I have health problems... as well as a bad back. His mother died when he was only two, and I can't take care of him on my own very well. But I have been able to manage fostering him for some time, when I'm in a stronger condition. I know I can't keep doing this forever... I can't even drive without clearance from my doctor."  
  
Yuri's eyes softened a bit, feeling his throat tighten up a little. He didn't realize he had a few tears falling down his cheeks until the social worker handed him a tissue.  
  
"I see, it must be difficult for you." Viktor said with a slight nod. "I can tell you must care for your grandson quite a bit. Giving him up for adoption must be a hard thing to do."  
  
"Da, it is..." Nikolai responded. "I haven't spoken with many couples about him before, because it doesn't feel right to give him up to just anyone. Too many want him to be a normal boy, play things like soccer or football instead of aspiring to be... to be a figure skater."  
  
Viktor and Yuri blinked in tandem, rather surprised by this. "Figure skater?" Viktor questioned.  
  
Nikolai nodded. "Da. You see, his mother... my son, actually, he trained to become a figure skater from a young age. However, he wasn't able to compete very often. His health was rather fragile, like my wife and daughter were as well. Not many couples hoping to adopt a child want a little boy like that. They find it strange, and I don't want to give him to someone who won't appreciate him. When I saw your application, and I realized who you two were... it made me think that you could be a perfect fit. He wants so much to be like his mother, and to try and get into the Olympics someday. Truth be told, he admires you both quite a bit as well."  
  
Yuri blushed a little bit, but he smiled. " _That's... really flattering._ " He was really humbled whenever he had any sort of fan, and to hear they had such a young one was rather surprising.  
  
"Da, it is." Viktor said with a nod. "I mean, we discussed for a while that whatever would happen, we'd support whatever hobby a child of ours may have. We know there's no guarantee they'd share our interests, but even if we weren't figure skaters we would back him up one-hundred percent."  
  
Nikolai smiled. "I've heard very wonderful things about the both of you as well, and it's comforting to know they ring true. All of the donations you make to the orphanage are how he's able to even have a pair of skates in the first place, and I have to thank you for that." A twinge of pain traveled up his back, making him shift in his seat for a moment until he was comfortable. "If you don't mind my asking, I am curious as to why you want to adopt a child."  
  
Yuri suddenly felt a little warm, his hand pulling a little at his turtleneck. "Well, that's a bit of a long story really..."  
  
Nikolai nodded once. "Well, I'd like to hear it if you don't mind sharing."  
  
Viktor shifted to slip his coat off, as well as his scarf and gloves before he reached for Yuri's hand and gripped it reassuringly. "We both have our personal reasons, and I wouldn't mind telling you why at all."  
  
Yuri suddenly remembered he had his coat on as well, shrugging it off before he took Viktor's hand again and nodded. "Yes, of course."  
  
The social worker stood up from her desk. "I'll give you some privacy for a bit. I'll be right outside when you're done." All three of them nodded and she left.  
  
After the door closed, Viktor looked Yuri in the eye gently. "I can start off if you like, Yuu-chan." he told him. Yuri smiled softly and nodded, still holding Viktor's hand. Viktor nodded and looked back over at Nikolai. "You see, in my family my grandfather was the older of him and his brother. His parents didn't think it was possible for them to conceive, and he was twelve when my great uncle was born. My grandfather was adopted, something that wasn't revealed until he and my grandmother were already married and had two children. They had trouble conceiving a second time after my mother and his twin brother were born, and they were almost ten when they had my uncle. There's an age gap between my sister and I for the same reason, because my mother didn't think having another child would be possible. And the same thing proved even more difficult for my sister when she was trying to have a baby. She and her husband managed to have one child together, our nephew Avi. Her husband is also Yuri's older brother as well... and because adoption affected Yuri's family so much, they decided last year to apply for adoption as well, and in January they brought home our niece, Ali. Yuri and I had only been married for a little over a year at that point, but, without trying to, he wound up pregnant twice. And both times we wound up losing the baby... we had talked about adoption quite a bit before, so after the second miscarriage we took a breather from everything before we talked about adoption again. After all of the heartbreak we went through, and everything we had talked about before, it just felt right. We knew it could possibly take years before we were given a chance to adopt a child; be it they were a baby, a toddler, or older. It was just a chance we knew we had to take. Even if we never end up being able to have a biological child, we want to have the chance to make a difference in the life of a kid who needs it."  
  
Yuri felt his chest tighten a little now, but after Viktor finished speaking he gave his hand a squeeze. "Well... like Viktor said, adoption has affected my family. Starting with my mother, he was adopted by my grandparents when they were unable to have their own children. And when my parents tried to start having a family after they were married, having a child proved to be near impossible. My mother found out some time ago that his biological mother wasn't supposed to be able to have children, and she was dying when he was born which is why she gave him up. She died not long afterwards." He hadn't even touched on the more personal subjects yet, but Yuri already felt tears gathering in his eyes a bit. "And... when they were traveling around the world for a while, for my father's job before they settled down in Japan, that was how they found my brother and sisters. My brother was adopted from an orphanage in Greece when he was two, and the moment they met him it just felt so much like fate. Six months later he was legally their son. And when they lived in China for three years, that's when they adopted my twin sisters. During that time they experienced... several miscarriages. Whenever my mother talks to me about them, I can just hear the heartbreak in his voice. It was supposed to be physically impossible for him to carry a baby to term... so medically speaking, I shouldn't even be here today." He didn't realize that his jaw was trembling a bit, sniffling softly before he took a deep breath to try and calm down. "But... growing up, I never felt different from my siblings. I never felt like I was more loved or less loved for being my parents' biological child, and I never felt like my brother or sisters resented me and they always treated me the way they should have. I never once thought about how we're not blood related... they've always been my family and I have always loved them very much, and so have my parents. I never saw them treat any of us differently. And... living in a home like that growing up, I always wanted to have my children some day the way my parents did. It just always felt right."  
  
Yuri needed a moment before he went on, keeping his gaze a bit low.  
  
"When... when Viktor and I found out we were supposed to have a baby both times, we hadn't been actively trying. But going through one miscarriage and then another in the span of a year just... broke my heart so much. I feel like compared to how much of a struggle it was for my parents to have a child, and how much of a struggle it was for my brother and his wife, we had it easy. But even through all of this, losing the baby both times, and going through fertility testing... I feel like my body just... failed. I know it will be difficult to ever be able to carry to term, and as much as that breaks my heart... I look at my parents and how fulfilling their lives have been, and I look at my brother and my sister-in-law and I remember everything they went through... having our nephew was a struggle for them, because of many things. Viktor's sister struggled with leukemia for years, and it affected her fertility. After they tried so hard to have a child they knew it might not happen again, and seeing them with our niece... she's so beautiful and she just fits right in already. And whenever Viktor and I get to spend time with them, we just love them both... but at the same time I wish that we could have a child too. I feel like... I'm a mother without a child, and, I know that adopting won't fill the hole or erase the grief from going through two miscarriages, and possibly more. But I want the chance to be a mother, no matter how it happens."  
  
Viktor reached for the tissues on the desk, handing a few to Yuri for him. Yuri muttered a quiet thank you and dabbed his tears away, needing to blow his nose. "I knew I had a good feeling about you two... I can see why now." Nikolai spoke. "I have heard wonderful things about you, how much you contribute to charity and to the orphanage. If things go well... I would be very happy for my grandson to be able to call you his parents."  
  
Yuri sniffled a little, wiping his eyes again before he replied. "D-do you really mean that, Mr. Plisetsky?..."  
  
"Da, I do. And you may call me Nikolai." the man replied with a smile. "To be honest, Mr. Katsuki-Nikiforov... you remind me of my son; his mother. He always wanted to have his own child, even when he was sickly... I always thought of him as a mother without a child until my grandson was born."  
  
Viktor smiled softly. "We can assure you, we're not in it for glory. We want to have our own family, and meeting you today we can imagine what a wonderful boy your grandson must be."  
  
Nikolai smiled warmly. "I know this might be a lot to ask for, given your busy schedules and the fact you travel around for competitions, but... there's one thing wanted to ask of you."  
  
"Oh, of course. You name it." Viktor said with a nod.  
  
"Well... you see, my grandson is the only family I have left. If possible, I would like to be able to negotiate an open adoption. Be able to visit and still be involved in his life... but I will be respectful not to overstep boundaries or the like, I assure you." Nikolai responded.  
  
Yuri blinked slightly. "Of course, we would be happy to. I'm sure it's hard enough to give him up for adoption... it'd be worse if you wouldn't be able to see him again."  
  
"Da, of course." Viktor said with a nod. "I can tell he means a lot to you, and we wouldn't want to just take him away without another word. If you like, then perhaps we can arrange for you to maintain your status as a legal guardian."  
  
"Yes," Yuri said with a firm nod. "We'd be happy to be able to keep you in his life."  
  
Nikolai wasn't showing it but he had to hold back a few tears, giving them another smile. "It means a lot to hear you two offer this, I hope we can work something out."  
  
Viktor nodded, holding Yuri's hand gently in his. "Is there anything else you'd like to ask us?"  
  
Nikolai shook his head a bit. "I think in due time. But if there's anything you'd like to know feel free to ask me."  
  
"Ah, well... I suppose a few things for now." Yuri replied. "I know you said he's been practicing to become a figure skater, but is there anything else he likes? Hobbies, foods, cartoons..."  
  
Nikolai hummed softly and nodded in thought. "Well... he can be a bit of a picky eater. He loves pork though, and homemade piroshkis. Ice cream is his favorite treat, and lollipops too. He likes going to the arcade and playing games. He's very energetic... but he has a bit of a temper at times. He also really enjoys playing those Poking-Mon games, and the TV show too."  
  
"Is he allergic to anything?" Viktor asked. "We have four dogs at home, and if there's any foods we need to avoid we'll know what we can make for him."  
  
"Ah no, no allergies. He's a little nervous around dogs sometimes, but he doesn't mind them once he gets used to them." Nikolai responded. "He is rather partial to cats though, and wild cats too. Tigers in particular."  
  
Viktor nodded in understanding. "Alright... well the dogs are very well-behaved, so I'm sure they'll be patient with him. We can ease him into it."  
  
Yuri nodded, and after a moment he suddenly realized one important detail. "Ah, also... did you mention what his name is?" he asked.  
  
Nikolai blinked in realization. "Ah, I thought I was forgetting something... forgive me, my memory isn't always the best anymore." he said, scratching his head slightly. "Actually this is... quite a coincidence. His name is Yuri."  
  
The Japanese boy blinked in surprise. "Eh?... Really?..." he asked.  
  
"Ah da, but... I forget where it comes from, but his mother nicknamed him Yurio when he was a baby. He doesn't really like being called Yuri unless he knows someone well." Nikolai responded.  
  
"Wow... I actually never met someone else named Yuri before. This feels a little unreal..." Yuri responded.  
  
"I remember that it's also a Russian name actually," Viktor told him. "The Russian variant of... the English name George, I believe?"  
  
"I see..." Yuri said with a nod. "In Japanese, Yuri means 'lily'. So I guess while the names are the same they have different meanings."  
  
"Still though, it almost feels like fate." Viktor said with a soft chuckle.  
  
Their talk with Nikolai lasted for a while longer, and afterwards the social worker came back into the room. After a bit more of paperwork she led all three of them out into the activity room. Having agreed that today was a trial period into their being able to foster Yurio, and that since Nikolai was scheduled to take him out for the rest of the day. Some of the kids recognized Viktor from his volunteer work and waved to him as they passed him by.  
  
When they arrived in the play room, Nikolai led them in the direction of where Yurio usually was. They found the blonde boy sitting inside a circle of three bean bag chairs, wearing a hoodie with cat ears on the hood, keeping his head down as he was focused playing on a 3DS. "Yuratchka," As soon as the boy heard his voice, his eyes opened wider and he perked up, picking his head up and when he saw his grandfather there he smiled brightly. Nikolai chuckled softly and smiled, reaching over and pat his head gently between the cat ears on his hoodie. "Did you miss me?"  
  
Yurio nodded and dropped his 3DS onto one of the bean bag chairs, getting up and practically pounced onto the man for a big bear hug, holding him tightly. "I didn't think you were coming today, the big kids said you forgot about me..." he muttered.  
  
Nikolai adjusted the boy slightly in his hold so it wasn't hurting his back. "Don't worry, I wouldn't do something like that. I had to take care of something first... here, let me show you." He turned around now so they were facing Viktor and Yuri. "These nice people are here to spend the day with us. They'd like to get to know you."  
  
Yurio looked a little confused, and then the moment he saw the two of them his eyes widened a bit. _"G-Grandpa, t-they're... are they the skaters?..."_ he whispered.  
  
Viktor chuckled softly, finding it adorable how shy the boy seemed to be at the start. "Da, we are. And your grandfather here has told us a lot about you. That you'd like to learn how to figure skate too, right?"  
  
Yurio blushed a little, hiding the bottom half of his face behind his grandfather's shoulder. "M-maybe..." he muttered, keeping his gaze low.  
  
Viktor smiled warmly. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Viktor."  
  
Yuri smiled a bit as well. "My name is Yuri. I'm happy to meet you as well."  
  
Yurio blinked a little when he heard Yuri's name, looking down a bit and fiddled a little with Nikolai's scarf. _"... I'm Yuri too... but everyone calls me Yurio..."_ he muttered.  
  
"Yuri is a very nice name," Viktor said with a smile. "And Yurio is a very nice nickname. Do you like it?"  
  
The blonde boy's hand continued to busy itself with Nikolai's scarf, but after a moment he nodded. "Da, I do..."  
  
Nikolai chuckled softly, gently patting Yurio's back a bit. "Why don't you go get your things, then we can head out for the day." he said before setting Yurio back down on his feet.  
  
The boy nodded as he looked up at him, picking up his 3DS and then headed out of the playroom and down the hall. A little while later he came back wearing his coat over his hoodie, and a scarf and mittens with his backpack on as well. "All ready to go?" Viktor asked him gently.  
  
Yurio looked up at him and nodded, blinking a little when he saw Viktor holding out one of his hands for him. He hesitated for a moment before he reached out, placing his mitten-covered hand in the silver-haired man's.  
  
"What would you like to do today, Yurio?" Yuri asked him, hoping he didn't sound too nervous.  
  
Yurio thought a little bit as he walked beside the two, subconsciously making sure his grandfather was close by in case he needed him. "W-well... Grandpa said he'd bring me to the zoo today and we'd go home for dinner... can we do that?..." he asked quietly.  
  
Viktor nodded. "Of course, have you ever been to the zoo before?"  
  
Yurio shook his head. "Nuh-uh... we were supposed to go for my birthday but Grandpa got sick..."  
  
Nikolai looked a little saddened and glanced down, feeling guilty he wasn't able to do as much for his grandson as he would like. Yuri noticed his expression and gently placed his hand on his shoulder, surprising the man a bit but he didn't push it off. "Well, we can go now." Viktor said. "We can all have a nice time together, da?" With a smile he looked back at Yuri and Nikolai now. "Right Yuri, Nikolai?"  
  
Yuri nodded. "Yes, of course." he said. Nikolai paused for a moment before he nodded as well.  
  
"Do they have tigers there?" Yurio asked.  
  
"Da, they do. Do you like tigers?" Viktor responded.  
  
Yurio's grip tightened slightly in Viktor's hand, but after a moment he nodded. "Da. They're really pretty."  
  
"Viktor's favorite animals to see there are the polar bears," Yuri said with a soft chuckle. "They remind him of his uncle."  
  
Yurio looked up at Viktor curiously. "How come?"  
  
"Well, crazy as it sounds one of my uncles was born in Canada. He's my mother's twin brother, and they were born when my grandparents were on their way to Canada. My mother was born first when they were still in America, and then once they crossed the border my Uncle Matthew was born. He lives in Canada now and he used to be a Mountie, and polar bears are his favorite animal. He always has big fluffy white pet dogs that look like polar bears, and they're really cute and friendly." Viktor said with a soft smile.  
  
Yurio's eyes widened a little and he looked rather intrigued. "D-do they really look like polar bears?"  
  
"Yeah they do, but they're a lot smaller." Yuri said with a nod. "They're really soft too."  
  
"They wouldn't be mean and jump on me would they?" Yurio asked.  
  
Nikolai was a little surprised to hear Yurio ask something like that; sometimes when the boy interacted with potential adoptive parents he wasn't very receptive to what they said.  
  
"No of course not," Viktor assured him. "They're good dogs. Very sweet."  
  
_"Dogs are usually mean to me, I don't really like them..."_ Yurio muttered.  
  
"Well... Yuri and I have four dogs. They're very sweet too, like my uncle's dogs." Viktor told him. "If you tell them to stay away they will."  
  
Yurio looked up curiously again. _"You promise?..."_  
  
Viktor nodded firmly, lifting up his free hand and crossed his heart with his index finger. "Cross my heart, and I pinky swear on it too."  
  
Yuri watched as Yurio's face lit up with a smile, which made Nikolai smile and feel confident in the couple, as well as his grandson. He felt like things were going smoothly already and hoped they would continue to.  


* * *

  
  
  
  
The afternoon began with their car ride to the zoo; Viktor offered to drive so Nikolai could take it easy, and Yuri let him sit in the front seat so it would be easier on his back, especially if he needed to recline back a bit. Yurio sat in the back with Yuri, playing a little more on his 3DS and things were a bit silent for a while, save for the sound of the engine and the radio that was playing mostly classical music.  
  
After a little while, Yuri looked at Yurio to see what game he was playing. He smiled a little when he saw he was playing Pokémon Moon, almost deciding not to say anything but before he knew it he was. "Ah, you like Pokémon? How far into the game are you?"  
  
Yurio hummed softly and shrugged. "I'm on the first island right now."  
  
"What did you pick for your starter?"  
  
Yurio blushed a bit, hesitating for a moment. "... Litten... I like fire Pokémon best!"  
  
"Litten is cute, I picked him too. Did you give yours a nickname?" Yuri asked.  
  
Yurio blinked, blushing a little more before he nodded. "Kolya..." he muttered quietly. "That's what Grandpa said Grandma used to call him."  
  
"Oh, really? That's nice." Yuri said with a smile.  
  
Yurio went back to playing his game, but after a moment he said something again. "Why do you play Pokémon? You're old."  
  
Viktor couldn't help but break out into a hearty chuckle from the child's bluntness. Yuri giggled a bit but he smiled. "Well, Pokémon was around when I was a kid too." Yuri told him. "I played all of the games when I was growing up. They were fun, and there's a lot of cool Pokémon."  
  
Nikolai smiled a little as he listened to Yurio talk a little about Pokémon with Yuri, and when Yurio didn't seem to want to talk much anymore Yuri let him be, though he smiled a little as he watched him play his game a bit from time to time.  
  
When they arrived at the zoo, Yurio perked up and seemed quite excited. Nikolai's back was bothering him a bit so Viktor hoisted him up into his arms and let him sit on his shoulders. Yurio felt a little more excited from that, able to see a lot more then usual. The three men allowed him to choose where they would go and which directions; if Yurio saw something he wanted to see, he pointed and that's where they went. When they saw the tigers, Yurio's eyes lit up bright and the biggest smile appeared on his face. **_"Look Grandpa, look! It's the tigers, it's the tigers!"_** he exclaimed, pointing at them happily.  
  
Nikolai smiled a bit and nodded. "Da, I see them Yuratchka." He looked at the three as Yurio admired the wild cats and Yuri told him a bit more about tigers as Yurio stayed seated on Viktor's shoulders. The boy held onto Viktor's head a bit as he did, hugging it a bit. "Would you like me to take a picture of you three together?"  
  
Yuri blinked a bit and looked over. "A-ah, really?..."  
  
Viktor smiled and rolled his head back a bit to glance up at Yurio. "How about it kiddo? Wanna take a photo with your new foster parents?"  
  
Yurio was quiet for a moment, but then he nodded slightly. "I guess so..."  
  
"How about after we take a picture together, we do one for you and your grandfather too?" Viktor asked.  
  
"Really?..."  
  
"Really really." Viktor said with a nod.  
  
Yurio smiled slightly and nodded. "Okay then."  
  
Viktor hunkered down on his knees to help Yurio climb off of his shoulders, the boy standing in front of him and Yuri while they posed for the picture together. Nikolai gladly took it for them and he thought they looked nice together, and afterwards Yuri took the man's phone so he could take a photo of the grandfather and grandson together.  
  
A little while later, when they were walking around again, Yuri was holding the boy's hand gently. From what Nikolai could tell, Yurio was warming up to the both a bit already. When they were looking at the polar bears Yurio needed a boost so Yuri carefully picked him up under his arms and hoisted him up so he could see. " _Wow_... they look really big!" he said in wonder.  
  
"Da, they are." Viktor said with a chuckle and a nod. "I've always wanted to pet one and see how soft they are, but they might not like that very much."  
  
_**"Oh wow, Viktor! Look, it's Viktor!"**_  
  
Hearing that, Viktor turned his head and saw as a young brunette girl approached them with a bright smile. "Privet, can I help you?" he asked with his usual kind and suave smile.  
  
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm a huge fan! Would you mind taking a picture with me?" she asked.  
  
"Da, of course." Viktor replied with a nod. He was about to ask Yuri if he could take it for them, but he then saw that Yurio was hiding his face in the younger's chest, rather shy around strangers.  
  
"Thank you! You and Yuri are so amazing, are you going to be returning to the skating circuit again soon?" the girl asked.  
  
Yuri smiled a little and looked down at Yurio as he stroked the boy's hair gently. "We're off for just the season, we should be back next year."  
  
"That's so great to hear! I'll be cheering for you both."  
  
"Spasibo, we appreciate it." Viktor responded with a smile. Once the girl had her phone out he took it from her and stood next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and smiled with her as he took the selfie for her. "Perhaps we'll see you in the crowd next year?" he said as he handed her phone back to her.  
  
"Oh you definitely will! Thank you both very much." she said with a smile, almost asking for a photo with Yuri but saw he was preoccupied with the child in his arms. "Oh, is this a family outing? I'm sorry to intrude, I'll get out of your hair. It was nice meeting you."  
  
"It was no trouble, nice to meet you as well." Viktor responded.  
  
Yuri nodded. "Hai, it was nice to meet you as well." he said with a kind smile before the girl waved and then went off to leave them be now.  
  
"Aw, Yurio, why are you hiding?" Viktor chuckled as he pat the boy's head gently. "You're a shy little thing aren't you?"  
  
_"I... I didn't know that lady..."_ he muttered, his face a little red as he looked over his shoulder at Viktor a bit.  
  
"I'm sorry, we're so used to things like this happening we didn't think about it." Yuri said, stroking his hair a little more again.  
  
"He'll be fine in a bit, don't worry." Nikolai assured them.  
  
Viktor nodded slightly. "Hm, well for now why don't we find out where to go next?"  
  
After figuring out where Yurio wanted to go next, they were off again before taking a break in the cafe area for coffee, hot cocoa and a snack. As they sat to rest for a bit, Viktor took out his phone to show Yurio some pictures and videos. Pictures from when him and Yuri were traveling around, for their vacations at the Katsuki Inn, and competitions. He also showed him their dogs, smiling a little as he saw Yurio giggling and smiling a little at some of the videos of them playing.  
  
Not long later, Yurio was starting to look a little tired and sluggish, starting to lean his head on Yuri's shoulder and when they asked if he was tired he shook his head but kept closing his eyes. Viktor chuckled a little from his stubborness, but he smiled. "Why don't we start heading out?"  
  
_"Aw... but I dun wanna go yet..."_ Yurio mumbled, rubbing his eyes a bit.  
  
"Don't fret, we can come back again soon if you'd like." Viktor told him with a smile, patting his head gently. "How about we look in the gift shop for a souvenir before we leave?"  
  
Yurio's head picked up rather quick, looking a little excited. "R-really? You mean it?"  
  
"Of course." Viktor nodded. "You can pick out something special."  
  
Yurio's eyes brightened up a bit and a small smile formed on his face. "Thank you."  
  
When they found the gift shop, Yuri set Yurio down so he could look around. Keeping an eye on him, even as Nikolai stayed nearby, chuckling a little when Viktor goofed around a bit, selecting some toys to take home for the dogs, and something cute for Avi and Ali as well. As Viktor finished looking around a bit, Yuri found Yurio nearby the stuffed animals, looking at them with wide eyes. He reached out for a tiger, feeling how soft it was before he picked it up. Looking at it with a smile, a moment later blinking when he saw Yuri watching him from the corner of his eye and blushed, Yuri chuckling softly and smiled gently before he leaned over to Yurio's level. "Is that the one you want?"  
  
Yurio glanced down a little, looking at the tiger's plastic eyes. "... Stuffed animals aren't girly, are they?..."  
  
"No, of course not." Yuri told him. "I still like them, they're cute."  
  
Yurio looked back up at him. _"Really?..."_  
  
"Yes, really." Yuri said with a nod. "So if that's what you want then that's what we'll get you." Yurio smiled a little now and nodded, Yuri smiling softly in return. "Alright then."  
  
When they went up to the counter Yurio gave them the tiger, and after it was paid for Yuri picked it up as the cashier started bagging everything else. He handed it back to Yurio and the boy smiled, hugging it to his chest sweetly. Viktor smiled at the sight. "He's all yours now, kiddo." Viktor said.  
  
Yurio smiled and looked up at them. _"Thank you..."_ he said softly.  
  
Soon, they were on their way home in the car. Yurio was holding his tiger in his arms, sitting beside Yuri and had fallen asleep leaning against him. When Viktor saw the sight in the rear-view mirror it made him smile to himself. Before they went home for the night, they drove Nikolai home. Yurio had woken up by then and looked a little confused, but when Nikolai told him he would pick him up in three days he felt a little better. "If you'd like to stop by at all some time, don't hesitate to give us a call, da?" Viktor offered.  
  
Nikolai nodded slightly. "Thank you, I appreciate it. But this is supposed to be a trial period for you three, so I'll keep my distance for now." He noticed the look on Yurio's face and was quick to make sure the boy was alright, reaching out and pat his head gently. "Don't give me that face, I'll be back Yuratchka. When I come to pick you up in three days, I'll have some homemade piroshkis for you, alright?" Yurio looked a little reassured now so he nodded a bit. "You be good for these two, they're your foster parents and they'd like to get to know you. If you need anything or want to talk to me, I'm just a phone call away."  
  
Yurio nodded slightly again. "Yes Grandpa..."  
  
All three of them got out of the car, Yuri carrying Yurio in his arms again since the boy was a bit groggy from his nap. Making sure Nikolai got to the door and inside alright, they said their goodbyes for the time being and the man leaned down to give his grandson a kiss on the forehead. "I'll see you soon, Yuratchka."  
  
"Okay..." Yurio said with a nod, leaning up and kissed his cheek sweetly. "I love you Grandpa."  
  
"I love you too, little one." Nikolai said with a smile, petting the boy's blonde hair for a moment before he turned to unlock the front door. "Good night, I'll see you three again soon."  


* * *

  
  
  
  
When they arrived at home with Yurio the boy was utterly surprised at the size of their house. Exclaiming in a rather shocked manner,  ** _"It looks like a huge castle!!"_**  
  
Viktor couldn't hold back a chuckle from that and smiled, mussing the boy's hair a bit. "Da, it is a bit big, isn't it? But we have big families, so when they visit there's room for everyone."  
  
Yurio looked a little curious when Viktor mentioned that. "W-will I get to meet them?..." he asked.  
  
"Da, of course. Maybe during your next visit." Viktor assured him.  
  
"It might take a little longer to meet my parents, they still live in Japan." Yuri told the boy.  
  
"D'you think they'll like me?..." Yurio mumbled.  
  
"Of course they will, I'm sure of it." Viktor said, patting him on the head. "Now then, let's head inside before we get chilled to the bone." He led them up the path now, taking out his keys to unlock the door.  
  
"Why don't I cook us a nice warm dinner?" Yuri offered. "I think I know something you'd like to try, Yurio. Your grandfather told me you love pork." He felt his heart swell when the boy smiled widely and nodded with eagerness in his eyes. "Well then I'm sure you'd love it. It's my favorite dish, called katsudon. Viktor and I love eating it when it's cold outside, and sometimes right after a hot bath."  
  
"Is it yummy?..." Yurio asked sweetly.  
  
"It's super yummy," Viktor said with a smile. "It's the reason why it's so easy for Yuri to put on weight at times."  
  
Yurio giggled a little as Viktor unlocked the door, Yuri blushing a bit and spluttered. _"Vicchan!..."_ he whined softly.  
  
"Aw, you know I'm only teasing my precious Yuu-chan." Viktor replied with a wink.  
  
Yuri rolled his eyes slightly. "Well, why don't you two wash up and I'll get started on dinner. I think someone might need a bath." he said, glancing down at Yurio.  
  
"Oh come on, I can't smell _that_ bad, can I?" Viktor said with a playful scoff, chuckling a little when he saw Yurio giggle. "Alright, Yuri, alright... I'll get'cha all washed up, Yurio. Do you like bubble bath?" he asked as he opened the door for them.  
  
Yurio nodded. "Yes!"  
  
"Alright then." Viktor said with a nod. He flicked on the lights in the hallway after letting Yuri and Yurio inside. **_"We're home!"_** he called after closing the door behind them.  
  
Yurio blinked, confused for a moment until the sound of running footsteps and excited barks met his ears, reminding him of the dogs they had. When he saw how big Munchkin and Mocha were he suddenly hid his face in Yuri's chest again, feeling a little scared. Momo and Mochi, on the other hand, were much smaller but they were excited to see them as well and jumped up happily on their hind legs. Yuri smiled at them but he gently pat Yurio on the back. "Ah, it's alright Yurio, they're very nice. Here... wanna say hi?..." he said, kneeling down carefully with the boy still in his arms.  
  
Yurio felt a little uncertain but he slowly turned his head and looked, watching as Yuri gently instructed Momo and Mochi to sit and gave them both pets. Slowly, Yurio picked up one of his hands and reached it out, almost flinching when they started sniffing his hand curiously. They panted cutely and gave soft, friendly barks. Yurio smiled a little now, leaning over and started petting them now.  
  
A moment later, the boy blinked when he felt something against his back, looking over and saw it was Munchkin sniffing him. He and Mocha were a lot bigger but they were being nice so he wasn't quite as uncomfortable anymore. "Aw, isn't that sweet? I think they like you, Yurio." Viktor said with a smile.  
  
_"D-do you really think so?..."_ he asked a bit nervously.  
  
"Da, they do." Viktor replied and nodded.  
  
Shortly after the dogs left Yurio alone for now, Viktor took the boy upstairs to give him a bath while Yuri gave the dogs their dinner and then started on making them fresh katsudon. While he was cooking his mother called and he happily spoke with him, telling Kiku the good news about how they were now fostering Yurio a few days a week for the time being until things could be smoothed over. His parents were already going to be visiting in a few weeks so they were going to be happy to meet the boy when they came.  
  
After Viktor had made sure Yurio was nice and clean he let the boy play in the tub for a while, with some of the bath toys they had for when Avi would stay the night. He squeaked the rubber ducks and pretended to drive the boats, making the squids splash water and when Viktor had his guard down he made it squirt water on his face. Viktor just chuckled, picking up the rubber duck and did the same to the boy, making him giggle.  
  
When Yurio was all played out Viktor took him out and dried him off before helping him get dressed in his pajamas, which were patterned with little kitties wearing sleeping caps. Viktor practically squealed at how cute he looked and pulled the boy in for a tight hug against his chest, cradling him a little. Afterwards he brought him back downstairs, going into the living room for now as Yuri finished cooking their dinner. He asked the boy what he wanted to watch and found a cartoon that was suitable. Yurio had his new stuffed tiger with him, holding it in his arms as he sat quietly watching the cartoon, already feeling a little sleepy from the long day.  
  
About twenty minutes later Yuri came into the living room to announce that dinner was ready and they were soon seated at the table as Yuri served the food. Yurio's stomach growled a little as he smelled it, looking curiously at it as Yuri set down his bowl in front of him. "It smells really good..." he said, picking up the fork next to his bowl. They had already asked if he knew how to use chopsticks and had the cutlery for a child already, so he had something else to eat with easily.  
  
"Aw, why thank you, Yurio. I hope you'll like it." Yuri said with a smile as he sat down. "Careful, it might still be a bit hot."  
  
Yurio nodded slightly, poking a piece of the pork with his fork and blew on it a little before he took a bite from it. His eyes lit up a little as he chewed it and then swallowed. "Wow... it's so tasty!" he exclaimed. " _Ka...sumon?_ " he sounded out, forgetting exactly what it was called.  
  
Yuri smiled softly and laughed slightly. "I'm glad you like it, Yurio. _Kat-su-don_." he replied, sounding out the word slower for him.  
  
" _Kat-su-don_." he repeated and smiled. "I can't wait to tell Grandpa about it! D'you think he'd like it too?"  
  
"He very well might," Viktor replied with a nod. "We can invite him over to dinner some time. Do you think he'd like that?"  
  
Yurio nodded eagerly while he was in the middle of chewing again. "Yuh-huh! That'd be great! Grandpa makes the best'est pork piroshkis, I hope he'll like this!"  
  
To Viktor and Yuri's surprise, Yurio was finished with his first helping when they were halfway done themselves. Yuri just smiled and offered him seconds, which he accepted, and afterwards he was feeling a little full. Of course, not too full for ice cream when Viktor offered it. As Yuri gathered the dishes and brought them to the sink to wash them a little while later, Viktor got out everything they needed for sundaes and let Yurio decorate his the way he wanted to. When he would get something on his face from time to time, either Viktor or Yuri would clean him off, making him fuss a little bit, but he didn't seem to mind all that much in the end.  
  
After he finished his dessert, Yurio started to get a bit sleepy again and hummed, rubbing at his eyes. Viktor just smiled, gently gathering the boy into his arms. "Let's get you ready for bed, alright kiddo?" he asked.  
  
_"Mmh... my tiger..."_ Yurio mumbled tiredly.  
  
"Don't worry, we'll get him from the living room first." Viktor told him.  
  
"I'll be up shortly, alright darling?" Yuri said.  
  
Yurio hummed softly and nodded. "Okay..."  
  
As Yuri gathered the rest of the dishes and put them in the sink, Viktor brought Yurio upstairs and cleaned his face off again before helping him brush his teeth. Once he was all ready for bed he brought him back into the guest room, where he helped the boy settle into bed. "Sorry we don't have a proper room right now, but this way you've got a bed that's big and comfy, da?" Viktor said with a smile. "We can go shopping for furniture for you tomorrow though. And maybe some clothes and toys if you'd like."  
  
"Really?" Yurio asked, holding his tiger in his arms again as his eyes started to droop a bit already.  
  
"Of course," Viktor assured him, gently stroking the boy's hair a bit now. "It's been a long day... you must be tired."  
  
_"Mm... maybe..."_ he mumbled quietly. _"... I never had a day like this..."_  
  
Viktor's gaze softened slightly. "Like how?" he asked gently.  
  
_"... With parents..."_ At that moment Yuri came into the room, and he looked up at them both as Yuri sat by his beside with Viktor. _"... When can I start calling you Mama and Papa?..."_ he asked, his voice growing tiny and soft.  
  
They were both a bit taken aback by that question, Yuri blushing a little but felt his heart skip a beat. He had expected it might take some time for Yurio to want to do that, but he didn't want to say no. Luckily, Viktor didn't want to say no either. With a smile, the silver-haired man leaned down and responded to him in a soft tone. "Whenever you're ready to."  
  
Yurio nodded softly before closing his eyes again. _"M'kay..."_  
  
Yuri smiled gently, leaning down and brushed the hair from his forehead and gave him a gentle kiss there. _"Good night, Yurio."_ he whispered.  
  
_"Good night, little one."_ Viktor said gently, kissing his forehead as well.  
  
_"Mmh... g'night..."_ Yurio mumbled, snuggling into his tiger a little before he drifted off to sleep.  
  
The two smiled, making sure the boy was asleep before they stood up and left the room, turning on the night light and closing the door, leaving it slightly ajar in case he needed anything. When they went back downstairs to finish cleaning up, Yuri let out a heavy, but elated sigh, laying his hand against his chest. _"I've got that feeling again, Vicchan..."_ he uttered with a soft smile on his face.  
  
Viktor smiled, stepping closer to his wife and wound an arm around his shoulders. "I know what you mean... it feels like we're parents, doesn't it?..."  
  
Yuri sighed softly, leaning his head against Viktor's shoulder as he slipped his eyes shut. "I don't want to jinx this... I _really hope_ that things can work out..."  
  
Viktor hummed softly, gently stroking Yuri's side a bit with his hand. "Yuri... that dream you were telling me about. With the little kid that had blonde hair... do you think it was him?..."  
  
"... I don't know... it feels like it might be..." Yuri responded. "But... I just hope that things will go well."  
  
Viktor nodded slightly, kissing the top of Yuri's head. "All in due time, Yuu-chan." He squeezed him gently in his arms. "All in due time."  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
As the weeks went by, Yurio flourished under their care. Viktor and Yuri were praised quite a bit from the social worker, as well as Nikolai who was very grateful to see the three getting along so well.  
  
When the time came for them to introduce Yurio to their family, they had all been invited over to Viktor's parents' house for dinner. The boy had asked if his grandfather could come too, so he did, and the both of them were to be welcomed with open arms. Yurio was surprised by the size of the house, like he had been with Viktor and Yuri's. He kept his tiger gripped tightly in his arms as they walked up the porch steps, half-hiding his face in Yuri's chest again. When Viktor saw him like that he smiled gently to him. "Don't worry, Yurio. Everyone is very nice, and they're happy to finally meet you."  
  
Yuri nodded, patting him gently on the back. "Viktor and I are right here if you need us. Grandpa too, alright?" he assured him.  
  
Yurio hummed a little bit, like he was thinking, before he nodded slightly. Then, taking Yuri by surprise, he responded with, "Yes, Mama..."  
  
The Japanese boy's breath hitched slightly, hearing the blonde call him that for the first time. But he simply smiled and pat his back a bit more again. "Alright then."  
  
Viktor smiled warmly before he run the doorbell. A moment later, Yurio picked his head up a bit more when Alfred answered the door. "Ah, there you are! I was wondering when you'd get here. Come on in, come in from the cold! Let me take your coats..."  
  
Viktor smiled and unshyly gave his mother a kiss on the cheek before they stepped inside. "Thank you Mama, I know this was a bit short-notice. I hope everyone made it alright."  
  
"Da, everyone's here. Papa's in the den with the kids, he's showing Avi his uncle's old skating things. We were cleaning through the attic and finally found them again." Alfred replied, taking Viktor and Yuri's coats as well as Yurio's. A moment later he took Nikolai's and offered the man a kind smile. "Hello, nice to meet you, I'm Alfred F. Jones Kirkland-Bonnefoy Braginski." he said, extending his hand.  
  
Nikolai smiled a bit in return and grasped his hand in a firm shake. "Privet, nice to meet you as well. Nikolai Plisetsky. Thank you for inviting me."  
  
"Of course, you're welcome any time you wish." Alfred responded. From the corner of his eye he saw Yurio looking at him from behind his stuffed tiger and he gave the boy a smile. "Hello there. You must be Yurio." His eyes softened a bit when he saw Yurio look away shyly. "Viktor and Yuri have told me a bit about you already, it's nice to finally meet you."  
  
"Why don't we go find everyone else and get acquainted now?" Viktor suggested, hoping to alleviate some of Yurio's nervousness.  
  
"Da, good idea. I think everyone is in the living room?" Alfred said, hanging up their coats on the hooks in the vestibule before leading the way down the hall. "Oh Yuri, last I saw your parents were in the kitchen... I'll go fetch them."  
  
"Okay, arigatou." Yuri said with a respectful bow.  
  
In the den, there were three couches and an arm chair set up around a coffee table. An area rug was rolled out in front of the fire place, with pictures set on the mantle, and a bookshelf against one wall. Heracles and Nathasha sat on one of the couches, minding Ali; across from them sat Francis and Arthur. The Englishman had braces on his legs, which were a bit weak from multiple sclerosis that was relapsing from his old age. On the rug in front of the fireplace sat Ivan with Avi, showing the boy things from a box next to him.  
  
Without hesitating, when they walked into the room, Viktor announced, "We're here!"  
  
Ivan paused what he was saying as Avi turned his attention to them, the brunette boy's blue eyes brightening up at bit and he smiled and stood up. **_"They're here they're here they're here!!"_** he said excitedly.  
  
"Calm yourself, kiddo. We know, we can see." Heracles said with a soft chuckle at his son's behaviour.  
  
Ivan chuckled softly, setting down a photo album he'd been looking through with Avi before carefully pulling himself up onto his feet, being a bit wary of his back. "Good to see you again, boys."  
  
"Careful Vanya... don't throw your back out again." Alfred said as he went over to the elder and helped him up the rest of the way.  
  
"I'm fine darling, I'm fine..." Ivan insisted, though he kept one of his hands on his back as a bit of a precaution.  
  
"Back bothering you again, Papa?" Viktor asked.  
  
"'Again' implies it's only an every now and then problem," Alfred replied.  
  
"You're making me sound old..."  
  
"You _are_ old, Vanya."  
  
"You're not far behind, Fredka."  
  
"Old man jokes aside, would you like to meet your new grandson now, Papa?" Viktor asked without missing a beat. Then chuckled a little at his father's admonished face. "I'm only joking, you're not _that_ old."  
  
"Da, da... Mama's little smart ass, aren't you?" Ivan asked, mussing his son's hair playfully.  
  
"You love me and you know it." Viktor replied with a grin.  
  
Yuri simply chuckled from their usual sort of antics, though he gently patted Yurio on the back again when the boy started to hide his face in his chest again. "It's alright sweetie, you don't need to be nervous." he told him quietly.  
  
Viktor came back over to them, gently placing his hand on Yurio's shoulder. "Yurio, would you like us to introduce you to everyone? I promise nobody here bites."  
  
Yurio was quiet again but slowly picked his head up, keeping a tight hold onto his stuffed tiger. _"Promise?..."_ he muttered.  
  
"Da, of course." Viktor replied with a nod and small smile. Yurio nodded a little, turning his attention to Ivan and Alfred after a moment. "Yurio, I'd like for you to meet my parents. My mother, Alfred, and my father, Ivan Braginski." Viktor was just about as tall as Ivan, however Ivan was built quite muscular and large so he looked much bigger then his son. Yurio seemed to shrink a little at the sight of him, suddenly feeling nervous and shy again.  
  
"You don't have to be afraid, dear, Ivan is very sweet." Alfred said with a reassuring smile.  
  
"Da! He's a big cuddle bear-bear!" Avi said, grabbing onto Ivan's arm and hanging onto it with a grin. "And he's really fun to climb!"  
  
Ivan chuckled softly, ruffling Avi's hair a bit. "I'm just muscular, I wouldn't hurt a fly, I assure you. I spent a few years training in the army, it built me up quite a bit is all."  
  
Suddenly Nikolai stepped closer to the silver-haired Russian. "I thought you looked familiar. I trained you! Senior Sergeant Braginski, correct?"  
  
At the realization of who Nikolai was, Ivan's eyes widened and he straightened up, lifting his right hand to give the elder man the Russian military salute; palm facing out, fingers just over the skin of his forehead at his hairline, but not touching. "Army General Plisetsky!" He lowered his hand after a moment. "It's an honor to see you again, sir!"  
  
"Likewise," Nikolai responded, holding out his hand to the other. "I always wondered how you turned out upon your discharge from service. You were a stubborn kid when you were enlisted, quite a bit of an anger problem."  
  
Ivan nodded slightly. "Da... well, the discipline from training straightened me out. Helped me learn how to control it as well... I have to thank you for that, sir." he replied before he reached his hand out to give Nikolai a firm handshake. "I was probably your problem child of the years, wasn't I?" he asked with a chuckle.  
  
"Please, none of this 'sir' nonsense. I've been retired for many years now, and at my age I'm hardly much of a general anymore. You can just call me Nikolai now." the older man responded.  
  
Ivan nodded in understanding. "Da, of course. And I haven't served in decades myself either... simply Ivan will suffice."  
  
Yurio's eyes seemed bright with intrigue now, looking up at Ivan curiously now. "You know my Grandpa?..." he asked.  
  
Ivan chuckled softly and nodded. "Da, it would seem so... I trained under him during my time in the army."  
  
"He's a good man, Yuratchka." Nikolai said, patting his grandson on the head. "Quite the family man you've turned out to be, Ivan. I'm proud to see how you turned out."  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Nikolai. Ivan's spoken rather fondly about you over the years, I never thought I'd be able to meet you though." Alfred said.  
  
"Likewise."  
  
Viktor smiled a bit from the exchange, soon turning his attention back to his wife and foster son. "Why don't we introduce you to everyone else while the grandfathers catch up, kiddo?"  
  
Yurio felt a little more at ease, knowing that his grandfather knew Ivan, and he nodded. "Okay."  
  
The three went over to the couches, upon where Francis stood and helped Arthur stand as well. Heracles and Nathasha stood as well, Nathasha gently rocking a slightly fussy Ali in her arms. "Yurio, I'd like for you to meet my grandparents, Francis and Arthur."  
  
"They look really old." Yurio muttered bluntly.  
  
Instead of getting angry, Francis and Arthur both started chuckling a bit. "Aren't you frank?" Francis asked through his laughs.  
  
"I'm not Frank, I'm Yurio." the blonde boy responded with a slight pout.  
  
"Oh he wasn't calling you that, he just means you're blunt, darling." Arthur told him gently.  
  
"What's that means?" Yurio asked.  
  
"Just that you're very direct and to the point." Yuri told him, patting his head gently.  
  
"Don't worry, it's not a bad thing sweetheart." Arthur said.  
  
Yuri turned to Heracles and Nathasha now, so they could introduce them now. "Yurio, this is my brother, Heracles. And Viktor's sister, Nathasha, she's his wife."  
  
Nathasha smiled gently when she noticed Yurio looking curiously at the baby. "And this is our daughter, Alice. We call her Ali for short." she said, letting him take a better look at the baby.  
  
"Don't forget me, don't forget me!!" Avi said quite loudly, hanging onto Heracles' hand and yanking on it a bit.  
  
"Easy now, calm yourself. We see you." Heracles said with a chuckle, patting his son on the head. "And this is our son, Alfred Viktor Braginski-Katsuki."  
  
"Everyone calls me Avi!" the boy announced proudly, lifting up his hand and waved to his new cousin. "Oh wait, I gots a present for you!" he said, rushing over to where he left his backpack and started to dig through it.  
  
Viktor chuckled softly and smiled, ruffling Yurio's hair a bit. "Avi's very excited to meet you, he's been looking forward to having a little cousin for a while."  
  
Yuri leaned down so he could set the blonde down now, though the boy stayed quite glued to his legs, nearly knocking the Japanese man over. " _Whoa_ , don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Viktor and I are right here." he assured the boy, gently patting him on the head again.  
  
When Avi came back over, holding something behind his back, Yurio clung tighter to Yuri's legs and his tiger, semi-hiding behind him. "Hi Yurio! I made'ja something in Art class!" he said before he held out what he'd been hiding in front of himself, showing it was a star-shaped wood carving. "I hope you like it."  
  
Yurio poked his head out a bit further now, so he could take a better look at it. Carefully, he reached out to take it from the older boy's hands, holding it in one hand as his other arm kept a tight hold onto his stuffed tiger. Curious blue-green eyes examined the wooden carving, before looking up over at Avi now. _"What is it?..."_ he asked softly and curiously.  
  
"It's a starfish for good luck!" Avi replied with a grin. "I love starfish, they're so cute and squishy! I made you one for good luck!"  
  
"Starfish is good luck?..." Yurio asked, a little confused.  
  
"Anything can be good luck!" Avi said.  
  
Viktor chuckled and nodded. "Da, that's true."  
  
Yurio hummed softly to himself, bouncing on his feet a little before he looked back over at Avi. "Thanks... it's a cute starfish."  
  
_**"Yay!! I'm glad you like it!!"**_ Avi exclaimed, springing forward and wrapped his arms around Yurio tightly for a hug now. Yurio blushed up to his ears, tensing up and spluttered, unsure of what to do or say. "Yurio-kun is so cute! Can I keep him?" Avi asked, looking up at Yuri and Viktor with his sparkly puppy-dog eyes that were damn-near impossible to say 'no' to.  
  
"Sorry kiddo, but we'd miss him too much." Viktor responded, ruffling their nephew's hair a bit.  
  
"Come on, let him go, da? Don't make him so nervous." Nathasha said a moment later, patting her son's back.  
  
"Aw... yes, Mama..." the brunette boy mumbled before unwinding his arms from the blonde boy. A moment later the doorbell rang, Avi blinking and turning his head before he rushed off to go answer the door. _**"I got it!!"**_ he called.  
  
"Hm? Who could that be, isn't everyone here already?" Viktor asked.  
  
"Oh, that must be Yakov and Lilia." Alfred replied. "We thought we'd invite them too, it's been a while since they've been over. They're a part of the family, too."  
  
As they heard Avi chattering with Yakov and Lilia at the door, Kiku and Yao came in from the kitchen. "Sorry for the hold-up, just had a few things to finish up and put in the oven." Yao said as he fixed his ponytail slightly.  
  
"That's alright. Don't worry about it Papa." Yuri said, steadying himself again a moment later when Yurio was suddenly hanging onto his legs again. "Ah, _easy, easy_..." he said gently, placing his hand on Yurio's head again.  
  
Kiku and Yao both smiled gently at the sight of the boy and their son, approaching them and Viktor so they didn't need to bring the shy child over to them. "I'm glad to see you two again; if it weren't so difficult I wish we could visit more often." Kiku said.  
  
"That's alright, Mama. I know it's hard to get away from the inn at times..." Yuri responded. A moment later he blinked when Yurio started tugging at the bottom of his sweater, so he leaned over and picked him back up into his arms now. "It's alright, Yurio, I'm not going anywhere, I promise..." he reassured the boy gently. When he seemed a bit calmer he turned his attention back to his parents. "Yurio, I'd like for you to meet my parents. Mama, Papa, this is Yurio."  
  
Kiku smiled a little, feeling a bit nostalgic from Yurio's behaviour. It reminded him of when they adopted Heracles; the boy clung to him so much because he didn't want his new mama to go anywhere or leave him behind. It was sweet, in a few ways, and helped them to bond quite a bit. He leaned over slightly to see Yurio better, giving him a gentle smile. "Kon'nichiwa Yurio-chan. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Kiku Honda Katsuki-Wang, Yuri's mother."  
  
Yurio blushed a little bit, leaning up to whisper into Yuri's ear, cupping it with his hand to say what he wanted to 'privately' but didn't realize it could still be heard. _"That's your mama?..."_ he whispered, to which Yuri smiled softly and nodded. _"He's really pretty."_  
  
Kiku blushed softly but his smile widened a bit, already finding the boy to be rather endearing. He then looked at Yao a moment later. "You haven't introduced yourself yet, darling."  
  
"Ah, shi, my bad." Yao responded, giving Yurio a friendly grin when he looked back over. He lifted one of his hands, his large sleeve slipping up and letting out his limb from hiding in the wide sleeve. "I'm Yao Wang, Yuri's father. It's nice to meet you, Yurio."  
  
"Why is your shirt so big?" Yurio asked, tilting his head to the side.  
  
Yao chuckled softly and smiled. "I'm from China, it's a traditional Chinese shirt. I find it's easy to keep my hands warm in the cold when I wear it. It's also quite comfortable."  
  
Yurio looked back up at Yuri curiously now. "You's Chinese too?..."

"Well, half-Chinese, yes." Yuri responded with a nod. "I was born and raised in Japan though, I've only been to China a handful of times before... but my sisters are different. They're both full-blooded Chinese."  
  
"Do you know any Chinese?" Yurio asked.  
  
"No, I could never quite pick it up. I took very easily to Japanese and English though, and I'm still learning Russian too." Yuri told him. "I know so much more about Japanese culture then Chinese, I often forget that I'm half-and-half..."  
  
"Does that mean when I'm 'dopted I'll be Russian and Japanese and Chinese too?" Yurio asked.  
  
"W-well... to be technical, I suppose?..." Yuri replied, a bit unsurely.  
  
"That's easy, you'll be Yurio!" Avi pipped up as he appeared beside Yao and Kiku with a grin. "Papa is adopted and Papa is Papa, and so are Aunties Ming and Mei! And Ali is Ali because she's adopted too, so Yurio will be Yurio!"  
  
Yao chuckled softly and smiled, ruffling the brunette boy's hair a bit and hugged him gently. "You're such a smart little thing, aren't you?" he said. "So, what have you been up to while we've been in the kitchen?"  
  
"Oh, Poppy was showing me his Uncle Viktor's things!" Avi said with a smile.  
  
"There's another Viktor?..." Yurio asked.  
  
"Ah da, that would be my great uncle, that means he was my grandmother's brother." Viktor responded. "He's who I was named after, and he was a figure skater as well. He was in the skating circuit and the winter Olympics in his youth."  
  
"C'mere, I'll show you Yurio-chan!" Avi said, waving for him to follow and went back over to the box of things over in front of the fireplace.  
  
Yuri bent over to set him back down on his feet again, giving Yurio a bit of gentle encouragement. "Go on, it's alright. It'll be fun, da?"  
  
Yurio hung onto his tiger and the good luck starfish, giving a slight nod. "Yes Mama..." he said softly before he went over and sat on the rug with Avi, who started taking things out and showing him, telling him about them the way that Ivan had told him. Yuri didn't realize it but his gaze was lingering on the blonde boy, just wanting to make sure he was alright. He did promise they weren't going anywhere, but he wanted to be there for Yurio when he needed them.  
  
"He just started calling you Mama, didn't he?" Kiku asked softly so the kids couldn't hear him.  
  
His mother's question snapped Yuri from his slight daze, the black-haired man blinking a bit before he turned his head to his mother. After a moment he nodded slightly. "Hai... how did you know?..."  
  
"He reminds me of Hera-kun not long after his adoption was finalized; he kept clinging to me because he didn't want his new parents to go anywhere or leave him behind. It took quite a bit of effort to get him to socialize at times, but it gets easier." Kiku told him. "Sometimes it takes baby-steps."  
  
Yuri nodded slightly in understanding. "Alright... thank you, Mama."  
  
"So, Vitya, Yuri,"  
  
A moment later, the couple blinked when a familiar pair of hands pat them each on the back, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders.  
  
Yakov chuckled softly. "Good to see you both again. How is the little one doing?"  
  
Viktor smiled a bit, patting Yakov's arm a bit. "Quite well, he had quite a bit of fun last week when you trained him with us. Sorry we've skipped out a bit lately."  
  
"Don't worry about it, it's not like taking some time off will hurt the great Viktor Frederick Nikiforov and Yuki Katsuki-Nikoforov." the elder man replied before he let the two go.  
  
As Yakov lowered his arms, Viktor caught a glance at something on his left hand that caught his eye. Without hesitating, as usual, Viktor reached for his hand and grasped it, picking it up and his eyebrows went up a bit when he saw the golden band upon it. "What's this?"  
  
"A _hand_ , Vitya." Yakov responded, quite used to Viktor being forward.  
  
Lilia chuckled softly, coming over to stand beside him now. "Da, well, I suppose we have our own announcement as well." Yakov nodded slightly, winding his arm around her. "Well... as you know we've spent quite a bit of time together, training you both over the years, and reconnected our relationship as well."  
  
"That, and the fact we're not getting any younger..." Lilia smacked him gently on the shoulder for that quip, to which he muttered a quick 'sorry' before continuing. "Because of all that, we decided to legally remarry. Having a wedding just didn't feel necessary."  
  
Yao smiled softly at the two. "Well congratulations the both of you."  
  
"Da, da!" Viktor said, enveloping the two in a hug. "We're all very happy for you. Congrats! And you know..." He looked at them with a bit of a stern face. "If you told us, we would have gone."  
  
"Da, we know, Vitya. But we just went to a courthouse and signed the papers, that's it. We didn't need to do anything fancy, I'm a pretty simple old man you know." Yakov responded.  
  
"If you're married nows, does that mean you're gonna have kids?" Avi asked bluntly.  
  
"Eh? They're way too old! They looks like grandparents!" Yurio said.  
  
Lilia nearly doubled over in laughter, Yakov snorting slightly and shook his head. "He reminds me so much of you as a child, Vitya."  
  
"Spasibo, _Gramps_ ~" Viktor teased, sticking out his tongue at him with a giggle.  
  
"I told you _decades ago_ not to call me Gramps!!" Yakov scolded.  
  
"Why is Gramps yelling?" Yurio asked, looking over at his foster parents now.  
  
Yakov dead-panned. _"... You taught the kid to call me that?..."_ he muttered.  
  
Yuri paled a bit and bowed to him in respect. "I'm sorry, I had no idea..."  
  
"You're still such a little troublemaker," Alfred said with a chuckle, adjusting his glasses a bit.  
  
The evening continued on without a hitch; the adults talked amongst themselves for the most part, Ivan telling Avi and Yurio more about his uncle, even showing them old photos of the man and his mother. Yurio, understandably, freaked out a little when he saw how Viktor looked identical to his great uncle. Nikolai smiled a bit as he watched his grandson interact with his new family, him and Ivan taking some time to catch up together as well. Ivan told him about his sisters, Katyusha and Natalia, informing that Natalia had passed away not long after he returned from the army for good. However, that had been what inspired him to carry on with his life and make something of himself; applying to go to school in America, where he won a full scholarship, and upon answering an online ad for a live-in housekeeper, also met Alfred and his family. "And the rest, as they say, is history." he said with a smile, wrapping arm around his husband's shoulders and took a glance over at his son and daughter, each sitting beside their spouses.  
  
"I'm very happy for you, Ivan. I know you went through quite a lot for someone who had only been eighteen at the time we first met, but seeing you overcome it and then overcoming the death of your sister, it shows how strong and resilient of a man you are." Nikolai said.  
  
Ivan nodded slightly, looking up at him again. "Well, I was trained by the best, sir." he replied.  
  
"Thank you, solider."  
  
In return, as Viktor showed the kids some new stretches and exercises for training, showing off his flexibility that was still quite great at his age, Nikolai told Ivan about his late wife and children. His son, Yurio's mother, had only been a few years older then Viktor when he passed away, but had been sickly for most of his life. "You know, it's odd to think now that had he been in better health, perhaps he would have competed against Viktor and Yuri." he said upon coming across the realization. "But I suppose, life isn't meant to be that simple... and who knows, if things had gone differently, then Yurio might not have been born. As much as it pained me to lose my family, I can't imagine a life without him in it."  
  
Ivan could feel his chest clench a little; remembering how difficult it had been for their family when Nathasha had struggled with leukemia. His daughter had survived, through strength and determination, and was healthy and thriving now with a family of her own. Taking a look over at her, he saw her smile as she fed Ali a bottle of formula, looking back at Nikolai after a moment. "I'm sure Vitya has already told you this, but with Yurio entering the family, you are as well. I sincerely mean it, Nikolai."  
  
"It's like my mother always says," Alfred began. "There is always room for one more."  
  
Nikolai tried not to show how surprised he was; though, there was an unmistakable warmth he felt in his chest from their kind words and offer.  
  
**_"No boys, you shouldn't read that!!"_** Viktor suddenly exclaimed.  
  
However short-lived it had been.

"Ah, I've been wondering where his old diary had gone..." Ivan said as he stood up and went over to his son and grandsons, taking the book that Viktor was holding out of their reach. "I read through it so many times but I've still been wanting to find it again."  
  
"Why can't we read it, then?..." Avi asked, feeling confused.  
  
Ivan blushed slightly now, opening it and skimming through for a moment. "Well... let's just say it isn't appropriate for such young eyes."  
  
"Does that mean is has words like 'hell' and 'damn' in it?" Yurio asked bluntly.  
  
Ivan chuckled lightly again. "Ah, well, no... not because of that. You'll probably understand when you're older."  
  
"Growed-ups _always say that,_ " Yurio said, crossing his arms with a huff.  
  
Viktor gently and pat him on the head. "Well, simply put, it's a very private diary that belonged to the first Viktor. Back when he was younger, being gay in Russia was very controversial so he wrote his inner most feelings down in a diary where they could be more private. He wrote about a lot of things that are hard to understand when you're still so young..."  
  
Yurio picked his head back up. "Gay is when two guys like each other right? And lesbians is the same thing only with girls right?" he asked.  
  
Viktor blinked a bit, but chuckled and nodded. "Da, simply put that's right." he replied. "So he had to keep quite a bit of his life a secret. It's why he hadn't been able to get married or have children of his own."  
  
Ivan nodded a bit. "I didn't even know that he was gay until long after he died and I read his diary for the first time. Once I knew though, it made sense, especially since he was always very supportive of me when I was working through my issues with anger in my teenage years. It's complicated, but he was a very good man. That's why we named your father after him."  
  
Yurio's eyebrows twitched slightly in confusion for a moment, almost asking what Ivan meant by 'your father'... but a moment later the spark ignited in his brain and he realized it on his own. With a slight blush, he then looked over at Viktor again. "That's why your name is Viktor toos?..."  
  
Viktor smiled warmly and nodded. "Da, that's why."  
  
After a moment's pause, Yurio scooted over closer to him and climbed into Viktor's lap before giving him a hug. _"... Is that why you're a good daddy too?..."_ he muttered into the silver-haired man's chest.  
  
A bit of air caught in Viktor's throat, taking a moment for his brain to fully process the question before he could reply. Winding his arms around Yurio, he smiled, hugging the boy to his chest. "Perhaps so..." he responded.  
  
Soon, after serving a dessert of homemade taiyaki and ice cream, Yurio was so full and sleepy he nearly tumbled over onto the floor. Yuri lifted him up into his arms, giving him his stuffed tiger to hold onto and soon it was time for them to head home. Once they were bundled up for the cold, they bid everyone a goodbye and planned on getting together again soon, which would hopefully include Ming and Mei, as they had been unable to attend because they were on tour.  
  
After taking Nikolai home, the couple went home and put their foster son to bed before retiring for the night themselves. Sleeping at ease, arms wrapped around one another, Yuri smiling softly as he slumbered. Remembering how Yurio's little voice called him "Mama".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a bit longer then I had planned on it being, but I'm glad it's finally up! I hope you all enjoyed reading it too, it took me three nights to have blocks of time to proofread and edit it before posting it tonight.
> 
> Along with Yurio's long-awaited appearance, I included a bit more background to some of the characters' lives. Hopefully nothing seemed too out of place though. ^^'''
> 
> Also, the thing with Avi giving Yurio a starfish carving is a nod to Clannad, another favorite anime of mine. ^^ Fuko is one of my favorite characters from it, I love her fascination with starfish and thought it might be cute for Avi to have an affinity for starfish. XD
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this so far, and I hope it didn't make anyone cry too much... I'm a huge crybaby so I tend to cry at the drop of a hat, and cried when I was writing and editing this.
> 
> Hopefully it won't take me too long to finish the chapter I'm working on so I can post the one that comes next, which is rather short. Either way I hope to see y'all again soon with a fresh update! :3


	9. Yuri and Viktor: Parenthood - Thirty-Three and Thirty-Six - Yurio: Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After several years of living in Russia, an opportunity comes up for Viktor and Yuri to move to Japan. However, before they decide anything, Yuri wants to know how Yurio would feel about moving to another country.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a very short chapter compared to the others. It's been a while since I posted the last chapter, and I've still been reworking the next chapter (for like the thousandth time... ^^''' ) because I can't find the right thing to start off. I finally have something I'm working with better, way less sad then what I had planned on writing. It's the part I've been most excited about getting to recently. :3 So I hope when the time comes you'll enjoy it!
> 
> In the meantime, I hope you like this short little interlude peeking into Yuri and Viktor's future with Yurio. :3

* * *

  
  
  
  
Yuri leaned against the counter top, staring down into the cup of tea he held in one hand. "Do you really think we can do this, Vicchan?..."  
  
Viktor lifted his gaze from his own cup, glancing at his wife from where he sat at the table. "Well... I know this is a big decision. But, it's a great opportunity. Your parents do need the extra help to run the inn now."  
  
Yuri sighed softly, reaching up beneath his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. The year that Yurio's adoption was finalized and they spent Christmas with their families in Japan at the Katsuki Inn, they announced that the following year would be their final time entering the Grand Prix together in couples' skating. Viktor retired, and three years ago, so did Yuri. Traveling with Yurio had been an amazing experience; however, as much as Yuri loved ice skating, the older he became the more time he wanted to spend with their son. Over the years, they had a few more unexpected pregnancies that, unfortunately, never made it past twelve weeks. It was heartbreaking and difficult to go through, but with Yurio to take care of, they hadn't put much more thought into expanding their family. At this rate, it seemed like they wouldn't ever have a biological child and, as hard as that was, they accepted the fact. Even with the option to adopt, for now they felt complete with Yurio in their life.  
  
True to their promise, Nikolai retained legal guardianship over his grandson and visited frequently. For Yurio's first Christmas with his new family in Japan, they had invited the man and he was as welcome as the rest of the family. He did travel with them from time to time, and rarely could turn down a chance to join them at the Katsuki Inn as he found that the hot springs worked wonders for his back and aching joints. However, he also kept his distance at times so as not to overstep any boundaries.  
  
Nikolai took pride in how he could see his grandson flourishing under his parents' care, and every day felt thankful to have been able to find a couple as wonderful and loving as Viktor and Yuri.  
  
Right now, they were a few weeks away from Christmas, and Viktor's thirty-seventh birthday. Quite a bit had changed over the last few years; over the summer, Chris and Phichit, who had surprised everyone when they revealed they were involved with each other, had tied the knot in Thailand where Phichit had set up a name for himself in ice dancing shows. Children weren't too far off in their future either by the looks of it. Just a year after Yurio joined the family, Heracles and Nathasha had surprised every odd and managed to have another biological baby without planning it. A baby boy, named Kieran Yao Braginski-Katsuki, resembling Heracles almost entirely.  
  
A chance at their lives to change was now presented before them once more. Yuri's parents were unable to run the inn efficiently on their own, and had asked each of their children if they were interested in coming to help them as co-owners. His sisters were unable to do so, and Heracles and Nathasha had wanted to say yes, but after discussing things didn't feel like they could raise their children properly while assisting Kiku and Yao. Yuri, having loved so much growing up at the inn, wanted to say yes right away but he knew that he and Viktor would need to discuss this and figure out what was best for their family.  
  
With only Yurio to worry about, they could manage to move much more easily then Heracles and Nathasha could. However, as much as Yuri wanted to move back to Japan, he knew that uprooting Yurio, especially when Nikolai would still be in Russia, could be very difficult on the boy.  
  
Viktor blew out a sigh, his lips fluttering from the air passing through his lips. "We still have time to make up our minds," Viktor offered as he picked up his mug and took a sip. "It's a big decision, but it's a good opportunity too. Yurio's starting middle school soon, and attending school in Japan might be good for him. He's a smart boy."  
  
"Do you think he would... _agree_ , if we decide to move?" Yuri responded. "He might not want to... especially if it means he'll be so far away from Nikolai, and his cousins too. Him and Avi are really close..."  
  
"Well," Viktor brushed a bit of hair behind his ear. "Distance didn't keep us from loving each other."  
  
Sure enough, Viktor saw a small smile play at his wife's lips, in turn making him smile slightly as well. Yuri looked down into his mug again, staring at the reflection he could see within the liquid surrounded by ceramic. "Well... it might be different for cousins, but... I see your point." he muttered before taking a sip from his cup. "But... making this decision without him doesn't feel right. Especially without consulting Nikolai... I feel like we should ask Yurio how he feels about it, and then after we know if he wants to go or not, we can make an informed decision. Hopefully it won't be too hard on him and Nikolai... it feels heartless of us to break them apart like this."  
  
"It's just like you to consider everyone's feelings but your own," Viktor commented with a soft chuckle. "You haven't changed a bit, Yuu-chan."  
  
Yuri blushed a little, averting his gaze. "I-it's not a decision to be made rashly, that's all... we need to consider everyone it affects."  
  
"I know. That's why it's so cute that you think this way." Viktor replied.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
Carrying a tray with hot cocoa and cookies on it, Yuri climbed the stairs and walked for what seemed like an eternity to his son's room. On the outside of his door was a sign that said, **"CAUTION - THIN ICE. SKATE AT YOUR OWN RISK"** along with various band and cat stickers. As music and figure skating went hand-in-hand, Yurio was proving to be very musically inclined. He asked for a drum set at age eight, and this year had also taken up guitar and was being taught that by Viktor. While Viktor wasn't the best, he had also been pretty good at guitar and had been taught by his own mother.  
  
Yuri could hear music blaring from the stereo, along with a video game that Yurio was playing. Halo, if he remembered correctly. After waiting for a few moments, Yuri took a deep breath and knocked on the door. **_"Yeah?"_** the almost-preteen called through the door; Yuri heard the game pause and the volume of the music decrease, a telltale sign that it was fine for him to enter the room.  
  
Opening the door, Yuri gave his son a gentle smile. The blonde boy was situated on a bean bag chair at the foot of his bed, long legs stretched out in front of him, slouching against the foot-board of the bed with his black and teal cat-eared headphones on his head. Strewn about the room there were some empty chip bags and candy wrappers, plastic bottles, soda and energy drink cans, as well as dirty clothes. Rather typical boy behaviour, a habit which had earned him the playful nickname of 'Tiger Typhoon' from his parents. Blonde hair had grown to chin-length and some of it was currently pulled back into a small ponytail to keep it from his face.  
  
When Yurio laid his eyes on his mother, he noticed the tray and, after blowing and popping a bubble with his bubble gum, he sat straighter and put his game controller down. "Oh _jeez_ , what is it _now?_ " he asked bluntly. "You _always_ bring me cocoa when something's up. Who's dying?"  
  
"Oh no, no no no, nothing's wrong sweetie..." Yuri replied, closing the door behind him after he stepped in. Taking a quick glance around he saw Munchkin and Mochi sleeping on Yurio's bed, along with the seal-point cat he adopted for his birthday that year, Potya. He saw free space on the boy's desk, so he carefully walked to it and set the tray down for him there. "There is something important I wanted to talk to you about. It's nothing bad though, I promise you."  
  
Yurio sighed softly, muttering into his gaming mic--he often played with Avi through the internet--that he would be MIA for a bit and turned off his headset, slipping it from his head and rested it on his neck. "Pop a squat Ma, what's going on?"  
  
As Yurio pulled out his desk chair and picked up the fresh cup of cocoa, which was still steaming a bit, Yuri carefully found a spot to sit on the bed without waking the animals. "How would you feel, hypothetically--"  
  
" _Mom_ , I'm not a _baby_ anymore." Yurio interrupted as he blew on his hot cocoa to cool it down a bit. "You don't have to use hypothetical situations on me anymore. Non-hypothetically, what are you talking about and what is going on?"  
  
Yuri blinked slightly in surprise, but chuckled softly as well. "You're such a bright boy... it astounds me how often I forget that." he said, running a hand through his hair. "Well... let me ask you this first. Do you... like Japan? And, well... how much do you like it?"  
  
Yurio shrugged. "It's cool. Wish we could stay for more then a few weeks though. What, did you wanna go there all summer next year?"  
  
"Well, actually... I was thinking of something more... permanent." Yuri told him. "You see... your grandparents, they need help running the inn now that they're getting older. And... I had always hoped I could take it over for them some day. Your father and I are considering... moving to Japan full time to do that. And... we, wanted to know if you would be comfortable with that."  
  
Yurio's eyebrows were arched up a bit in surprise, taking a few moments to think before he could respond. "Are you _kidding me?_ I _love it_ there, it'd be cool to live in Japan! I can be that foreign exchange student that everyone stares at in awe!"  
  
Well. That had certainly not been the response he expected. And perhaps Yuri's otaku side had rubbed off on the boy a bit much over the years. "A-a-are you sure, darling?... I know this is a big decision! Your father and I still have a lot to talk about before we figure out if we're even going to accept..."  
  
"Mom. Come on. I'm not _that_ fragile." Yurio responded, rolling his eyes a bit in amusement. "Sure it's gonna suck not being so close to Avi and everyone, and Grandpa too, but hey, when Avi and I are on the skating circuit together we can see each other all the time! And I can come visit Gramps and everyone during Golden Week and the summer."  
  
"... You've really thought about what moving to Japan would be like, haven't you?" Yuri asked with a soft smile and a warm look in his eyes.  
  
"Hells yeah, it'd be sweet!" Yurio replied with one of his trademark grins. "Besides, I'd look cool in a school uniform."  
  
Yuri laughed softly, but he smiled. "Well... I'm relieved to hear you'd be alright with it. I know it might not be easy at times, but I'm glad you're open to the idea." He rubbed the back of his neck a bit. "Your father and I still need time to discuss it, but... when we figure things out, we'll sit down as a family and make the decision together."  
  
"Ma, come on. We all know what we're going to end up doing." Yurio replied with a laugh, sipping at his cocoa again. "Besides, it'd be a huge plus to take open-air baths every day. It's super relaxing and way better then soaking in a cramped bathtub."  
  
"Be that as it may, I know you've lived in Russia your whole life. Traveling and visiting is one thing, but moving to another country is going to be a big change." Yuri sighed softly, standing up. "But, thank you for talking to me. It'll be easier for us to make a decision knowing how you feel."  
  
Yurio smiled a little, but he shrugged. "No biggie. It's better then you guys just telling me what to do all the time. You're cooler then that." He set his cocoa down, chewing on the bubblegum still in his mouth and chuckled. "Heh, now my gum tastes like chocolate."  
  
"Ew... sweetie you know you might swallow your gum again if you keep doing that." Yuri said with a sigh, finding his son's habit odd yet endearing.  
  
"I've only swallowed it like, twice. No sense in wasting another piece, y'know?" he replied, rolling his eyes. "Thanks for the cocoa, Ma. And the talk I guess. Guess you guys'll talk to me in the morning?"  
  
"Of course sweetie... and, well, yes, we'll let you know soon." Yuri placed his hand on Yurio's shoulder, leaning over and kissing his cheek. "I love you darling. Go on and enjoy your game, but lights out at ten, okay?"  
  
"Da, I know the drill." Yurio responded, putting his headphones back on. "Night Ma."  
  
"Good night sweetie," Yuri said as he crossed to the door, taking a look over his shoulder again as Yurio situated himself on his bean bag chair again, turning on his mic and told Avi he was back. He smiled a little, feeling reassured that whatever him and Viktor decided, Yurio would be alright with it.  
  
The following morning, when Yurio came down the stairs, carrying Potya against his shoulder, he found his parents sitting at the table, holding one another's hand, speaking quietly, each with a mug in front of them. When they noticed him they stopped, turned and greeted him with a smile.  
  
"So," Yurio pulled out his usual chair and sat down, petting the cat in his arm. "Are we moving or what?" he asked, not beating around the bush.  
  
Viktor chuckled softly but he smiled, taking a look at Yuri. Yuri smiled softly to him, nodding slightly and they both looked at him again. "Yes, we are. Starting at the end of January, we're going to pack up and move to Japan. The house here is paid off so we won't sell it, we'll still be able to come back and stay whenever we want." Viktor told him.  
  
"In a few months time, your father and I are going to be co-owners to the Katsuki Inn." Yuri said with a smile. "We're still deciding if we'll live in the private residence or if we'll find our own place to live for a while, but by this time next year, you'll be studying for middle school entrance exams! Until then we'll get you private tutors so you can learn what you need to for the Japanese school system. Luckily you do know the language rather well too."  
  
"Sweet! This is gonna be awesome!" Yurio exclaimed, holding his fist up in the air in triumph. "I get to be the exchange student like in an anime!" An idea suddenly popped into his head and he looked over at Yuri now. "Hey Ma, if I get to use one of those Japanese backpacks, could you make bat wings for me to put on it? That would be super rad!"  
  
Yuri giggled softly at his request, but he nodded. "I can try my hand at it. Maybe your grandmother would be able to help with that, he's much handier at sewing then I am."  
  
"Awesome! This is gonna be rad! Wait till I tell everyone at school I'm moving to Japan!"  
  
Viktor chuckled softly, watching as Yurio said something about calling Avi as he left the kitchen, taking a look at Yuri now. "And you were worried about him having trouble adjusting?"  
  
"You know me, Vicchan, I'm the worrier... but that's beside the point. We're not moving just yet... it's going to be a process. It might be difficult once it comes closer. Hopefully when we talk to Nikolai, he'll understand as well..."  
  
"He'll probably use it as an excuse to come to Japan as often as possible. He loves the hot springs after all." Viktor replied. "For now, don't worry so much, da?" he said, lifting Yuri's hand up and planted a kiss on the back. "We have time. Everything will work out."  
  
Yuri blushed slightly, but he smiled. "You always know how to make me feel better, Viktor..." he said, leaning his head on his husband's shoulder with a smile.  
  
"Of course I do, Yuu-chan," Viktor replied, wrapping his arms around him and gently stroked his hair. "You're my beloved wife."  
  


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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... And there we have it! I hope you guys liked this chapter, and I hope when I finish the next chapter, you'll enjoy that too. :3 Something big is coming!~
> 
> Thanks for reading, see ya in the next chapter! <3


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